CRIME 
C  L  U  5 


& 


By 

W.  HOLT-WHITE 


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THE  CRIME  CLUB 


UNIf.  or  CAUr.  UI^KAUlt.  IA^S  ANGELfit* 


"As  for  you,  sir,  leave  my  Twtcse  at  once" 


THE  CRIME  CLUB 


BY 

W.  HOLT -WHITE 


Illustrated  by 
Hermann  Heyer 


NEW  YORK 

THE  MACAULAY  COMPANY 

1910 


COFTKIGRT,  1910,  BT 
THB  MACAULAY  COMPANY 


TBB  PKBMIER  PKX4M 
JTBW  YOSS 


CONTENTS 


CHAPIHB  'AGE 

I.  The  Blackmailer              .  •  3 

II.  Sir  Paul  Westerham   Buys  the 

Crime  Syndicate         .  .  12 

III.  The  Girl  in  the  Park       ...  .  22 

IV.  The  Red-Haired  Woman    .  .  33 
V.  The  Crime  Club      .            .■  .  5° 

VI.  Downing  Street      .            .  .61 

VII.  Lady  Kathleen's  Doubts    .  .  76 

VIII.  Scotland  Yard  Intervenes  .  89 
IX.  The  Higher  Burglary       .  .  104 

X.  Sir  Paul  in  Peril  .            .  .  120 
XI.  Murder  Mysterious            .  .  i37 
XII.  The     Prime     Minister     is  Com- 
promised           .            .  •  153 
XIII.  The  Gaming  House             .  .  168 
XIV.  Lady  Kathleen's  Mission  .  .  181 
XV.  By  Order  of  the  Czar        .  .  198 

XVI.  Strange  Happenings           .  .216 

XVII.  Melodrama  at  Trant  Hall  .  231 


2130959 


CONTENTS 

eHAraSK  PAGE 

XVIII.  At  the  Empire        .            .  .  243 

XIX.  The  Capture  of  Lady  Kathleen    .  261 

XX.  The  Farm  on  the  Hill     .  .  272 

XXL  The    Kidnapping    of    the  Prime 

Minister            .            «  »  288 

XXIL  The  Premier's  Story         .  .  301 

XXIII.  A  Grisly  Threat       .         »  ,,  310 

XXIV.  Westerham's  Way  Out      «  ;«  320 
XXV,  The  Last  Fight      .            ..  .^  335 


THE  CRIME  CLUB 


THE  CRIME  CLUB 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  BLACKMAILER 

Hearing  the  sound  of  lightly- falling  footsteps  be- 
hind him,  Captain  Melitn  ceased  his  investigations 
of  Sir  Paul  Westerham's  kit-bag  and  cautiously 
turned  his  head. 

As  he  did  so,  the  captain  experienced  a  painful 
sensation.  He  felt  a  little  cold  ring  of  steel  pressed 
against  his  right  temple,  and  from  past  experience, 
both  objective  and  subjective,  he  knew  that  a  Colt 
cartridge  was  held,  so  to  speak,  in  leash  within  five 
inches  of  his  head. 

It  was  very  still  on  board  the  Gigantic.  The 
liner  rose  and  fell  easily  on  the  long,  oily  Atlantic 
swell  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay.  Moreover,  there  v/as 
upon  the  entire  vessel  that  peace  which  comes  be- 
tween the  post-prandial  exercises,  such  as  deck 
quoits,  of  Atlantic  passengers  and  the  comparative 
bustle  which  arrives  with  tea-time.  In  short,  the 
hour  was  half-past  three  o'clock. 

Captain  Melun  for  several  infinitely  long  seconds 
was  offered  an  opportunity  of  enjoying  the  su- 
preme calm  of  the  liner.  But  he  did  not  entirely 
revel  in  the  moments  so  offered  to  him. 

It  was,  indeed,  with  some  relief  that  he  heard  a 
distinctly  pleasant,  though  slightly  mocking,  voice 
break  the  accentuated  silence  and  say: 


4  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  Don't  be  alarmed,  Captain  Melun.  I  mean  you 
no  harm.  I  am  simply  psychologically  interested 
in  your  movements.  The  fact  that  I  am  attempt- 
ing to  protect  the  contents  of  my  kit-bag  from 
your  attentions  is  of  comparatively  small  impor- 
tance." 

The  captain  drew  a  little  breath  of  relief,  not  the 
less  sincere  because  he  was  conscious  that  the 
nozzle  of  the  revolver  was  withdrawn  from  his 
temple. 

He  heard  the  door  of  the  state-room  close  softly; 
then  the  pleasant  voice  spoke  again,  though  with 
a  slightly  harder  ring  in  its  tones. 

"Stand  up,  Captain  Melun,"  said  the  voice, 
**  and  be  seated.  I  have  a  good  deal  to  say,  and  it 
is  not  my  habit  to  talk  to  any  man  when  I  find  him 
on  his  knees." 

Captain  Melun  rose  a  little  unsteadily  and  faced 
about,  to  find  the  most  disconcerting  eyes  of  Sir 
Paul  Westerham  bent  full  upon  him. 

Still  retaining  the  revolver  in  his  hand,  the  bar- 
onet seated  himself  upon  the  edge  of  his  bunk  and 
then  motioned  to  Captain  Melun  to  sit  down  upon 
the  only  available  couch. 

For  a  few  minutes  the  two  men  gazed  at  each 
other  with  curiosity  and  interest;  and  it  would 
have  been  hard  to  find  a  greater  contrast  in  phy- 
sique and  physiognomy. 

Captain  Melun  had  an  olive  face  set  with  dark, 
almond-shaped  eyes  beneath  a  pair  of  oblique  and 
finely-pencilled  brows;  his  nose  was  aquiline  and 
assertive,  his  mouth  shrewd  and  mean  and  scarcely 
hidden  by  a  carefully-trained  and  very  faintly- 
waxed  moustache.     He  was  exceedingly  tall  and 


THE    CHIME    CLUB  5 

astonishingly  spare  in  build.  Indeed,  his  whole 
aspect  suggested  a  man  who  brooded  over  defeated 
ends.  For  the  rest,  his  dress  was  unmistakably 
associated  with  that  service  to  which  he  had  never 
been  a  credit  and  which  he  had  left  unwept,  un- 
honoured,  and  unsung. 

Sir  Paul  rivalled  the  captain  in  inches.  Indeed, 
he  must  have  overtopped  him  by  half  a  head.  He 
was  spare,  too,  as  Melun  was,  but  his  was  the  lean- 
ness of  a  man  who  has  been  worn  fine  by  activity. 
His  hair  was  undeniably  red  in  tint,  and  his  face 
had  that  pronounced  ruddiness  possessed  only  by 
red-haired  folk.  His  nose  was  inelegantly  short 
and  emphasised  the  length  of  his  upper  lip,  which 
was,  however,  covered,  as  indeed  were  both  his 
face  and  chin,  with  a  short,  crisp  auburn  beard. 

Strong  though  it  was,  his  face,  under  the  cover- 
ing of  its  beard,  would  have  lacked  both  distinction 
and  power  but  for  the  amazing  eyes.  These,  be- 
neath brows  which  were  rather  beetling  for  so 
young  a  man,  were  of  a  shade  which  can  only  be 
described  as  of  duck's-egg  green.  They  gave  the 
man  an  aspect  of  superhuman  coldness  and  at  times 
an  air  of  almost  superhuman  cruelty.  They  were 
the  eyes  of  a  man  who  could  look  unmoved  upon 
a  sea  of  troubles  or  survey  with  untouched  heart 
a  panorama  of  undeserved  suffering. 

Sir  Paul  was,  in  fact,  no  uncommon  man.  Leav- 
ing a  wild  youth  behind  him,  he  had  for  ten  years 
which  followed  his  landing  in  the  United  States 
pursued  the  hard  and  humble  and  most  exacting 
calling  of  miner  in  the  West.  Life  he  had  always 
held  cheap,  not  only  as  it  touched  others,  but  as  it 
touched  himself.     He  had  learnt  a  hard  lesson  in 


6  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

the  school  of  hfe,  and  taking  it  hardly  had  be- 
come a  hard  man.  So  inured,  indeed,  had  he  be- 
come both  to  suffering  and  to  danger  that,  when 
at  length  a  greedy  lawyer  had  tracked  him  down, 
he  had  at  first  resented  bitterly  and  blasphemously 
the  fate  which  made  him  the  richest  man  on  earth/ 

For  his  uncle,  from  whom  he  inherited  the  bar- 
onetcy, had  been  a  rich  man  when  he  died ;  and  for 
five  years  his  well-invested  fortune  had  lain  in  the 
hands  of  able  men,  slowly  accumulating  still  greater 
wealth,  which  a  crowd  of  secondary  relatives  had 
striven  to  prove  did  not  belong  to  the  vanished  and 
scapegrace  nephew. 

At  first  the  fact  that  he  was  the  undisputed 
owner  of  quite  as  many  millions  as  would  have 
justified  an  American  plutocrat  in  being  jealous 
had  annoyed  the  new  baronet  more  than  he  could 
tell. 

Week  after  week  the  lawyer,  mindful  of  his  fees, 
had  pleaded  with  the  new  baronet  to  return  to 
England  and  enter  into  possession  of  his  own. 
Week  after  week  Westerham  had  hesitated  to  re- 
turn, for,  in  spite  of  the  hardships  which  he  had 
undergone,  there  lived  with  him  still  sufficient  of 
the  old  life  to  tell  him  that  the  possession  of  mil- 
lions would  entail  the  labour  of  a  social  treadmill 
which  he  not  only  dreaded  but  despised. 

There  had,  however,  come  to  him  quite  by 
chance  a  motive  for  returning.  On  thinking  it 
over  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  not, 
after  all,  so  bad  a  thing  to  be  able  to  indulge  a 
whim.  And  the  secret  of  the  whim  he  meant  to 
follow  lay,  he  knew,  within  the  kit-bag  which  he 
had  found  Captain  Melun  ransacking. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  TT 

Utterly  cut  off  from  the  world  as  he  had  been, 
the  names  which  mean  so  much  in  Society  in  Lon- 
don, Paris,  Vienna,  and  even  in  New  York,  had 
been  lost  to  him.  The  faces  of  the  great  men  of 
those  great  cities  were  to  him  as  a  closed  book. 
The  faces  of  their  womenkind  were  as  dreams 
which  he  had  long  since  forgotten.  But  there  was 
a  dream  in  the  kit-bag. 

Even  Westerham's  roystering  had  not  been  ill- 
spent.  His  knowledge  of  the  world,  which,  after 
all,  means  a  certain  cognisance  of  the  evil  that  men 
do,  had  taught  him  that  Captain  Melun  was  not  a 
man  to  perpetrate  a  common  theft. 

Long  years  spent  in  a  land  peopled  practically 
by  Ishmaelites  had  taught  him  deep  distrust  of  the 
stranger — particularly  distrust  of  the  stranger  who 
would  be  friendly. 

So,  many  hours  had  not  passed  on  board  the 
Gigantic  before  the  shrewd  inquiries  that  followed 
on  his  suspicions  had  laid  bare  before  him,  as  far 
as  could  be  unfolded,  the  history  of  Captain  Melun. 

The  captain,  it  seemed,  moved  in  the  best  society 
in  London  and  New  York;  none  the  less,  he  was 
not  liked.  There  was  no  actual  charge  against  him, 
but  there  appeared  to  have  been  bound  up  in  his 
career  in  America  a  number  of  unpleasant  epi- 
sodes. The  record  of  the  episodes  was  vague,  but 
that  suspicion  of  them  was  justified  lay  in  the  fact 
that  whereas  Captain  Melun  had  landed  in  the 
States  poor  he  was  leaving  them  enriched.  And 
to  lend  colour  to  this  justification  was  the  captain's 
exceedingly  unfortunate  reputation  as  a  card- 
player. 

Now  Westerham;  if  truth  must  be  told,  loved 


8  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

play,  and  high  play.  In  the  old  days  he  had  not 
cared  for  what  stakes  he  played  against  men  so 
long  as  they  were  honest  m«n;  but  now  he  re- 
sented as  an  insult  to  his  good  sense  the  suggestion 
that  he  should  play,  despite  the  resources  at  his 
command,  for  high  stakes  against  a  man  who,  by 
some  subtle  means,  seldom,  if  ever,  lost. 

It  was  with  these  things  in  his  mind — a  mind 
active  and  of  great  intelligence,  a  mind  moreover 
sharpened  by  adversity — that  he  looked  stonily  at 
Captain  Melun. 

It  had  almost  become  second  nature  for  Wester- 
ham  to  draw  a  gun  upon  a  man  whom  he  had 
caught  apparently  intent  on  theft.  Swiftly,  how- 
ever, it  came  to  him  that  a  man  in  Melun's  posi- 
tion was  not  likely  to  be  engaged  in  theft.  There 
sprang  into  his  brain  the  notion  that  Melun  was 
simply  searching  through  his  belongings  with  the 
idea  of  blackmail. 

It  almost  made  Westerham  laugh  to  think  that 
any  man  should  attempt  to  blackmail  him.  He  had 
nothing  to  disguise,  nothing  to  hide. 

Indeed,  as  he  sat  easily  on  the  edge  of  his  bunk 
looking  at  the  dark,  disconcerted  face  before  him, 
Westerham  had  half  a  mind  to  throw  his  weapon 
aside  and  to  tell  Melun  to  go  his  way  in  peace. 
Then  there  came  to  him  a  certain  recollection,  and 
the  blood  crept  into  his  face  so  that  it  seemed  to 
burn,  and  his  sinister  eyes  gleamed  beneath  his 
brows,  bright  and  green  and  dangerous. 

His  control  over  himself  was,  however,  perfect, 
and  still  in  the  soft,  smooth  voice,  which  long  ab- 
sence in  the  West  had  not  robbed  of  its  initial 
and  birth-given  refinement,  he  asked; 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  d 

"What  did  you  find?" 

Captain  Melun  did  not  even  blink  his  heavy- 
lidded  eyes. 

"  Nothing,"  he  said. 

"  Yet,"  rejoined  Westerham,  almost  medita- 
tively, "  you  must  have  been  here  at  least  five  min- 
utes before  I  arrived." 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  Melun,  almost  earnestly,  "  that 
I  found  nothing." 

"That  is  to  say,"  said  Westerham,  "nothing 
which  you  could  turn  to  your  own  good  account." 

Melun  smiled  a  sour  yet  demure  little  smile. 

"  Precisely,"  he  said  evenly. 

"  Permit  me,"  said  the  baronet,  just  as  quietly, 
"to  inform  you  that  you  are  a  liar.  If  you  will  be 
good  enough  to  turn  over  the  bundle  of  socks  which 
you  will  find  in  the  right-hand  corner  of  the  kit-bag 
as  it  faces  you  now,  I  think  you  will  be  able  to 
hand  me  something  that  is  of  interest  to  us  both." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  I  could,"  replied  Captain 
Melun  with  a  touch  of  sarcasm  in  his  voice. 

Westerham  picked  up  again  the  six-shooter  which 
he  had  laid  carelessly  at  his  side. 

"  Have  a  look,"  he  said,  and  his  voice  was  gently 
persuasive. 

Just  a  flicker  of  vindictiveness  crept  into  Melun's 
eyes,  and  under  the  suasion  of  firearms  he  turned 
again  to  the  bag. 

After  a  few  moments  Westerham,  now  schooled 
to  infinite  placidity,  inquired  for  the  second  time 
if  he  had  found  anything. 

"Only  a  few  papers,"  said  Captain  Melun, 
crossly. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  the  baronet,  "if  I  am  not 


10  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

mistaken  you  have  found  only  one  paper.  Be  kind 
enough  to  hand  it  to  me." 

The  captain  turned  about,  and  with  a  carefully- 
manicured  hand  offered  Westerham  a  slip  of  paper 
which  had  evidently  been  torn  from  some  English 
periodical, 

Westerham  took  it  and  looked  at  it  casually, 
though  the  muscles  on  his  closed  jaws  stood  out  in 
a  manner  that  was  not  wholly  pleasant  to  look 
upon.  It  was,  however,  with  unfathomable  eyes 
that  he  surveyed  the  scrap  of  paper  before  him.  It 
revealed  the  portrait  of  a  girl  with  an  astonishingly 
quiet  face.  Her  cheeks  were  round  and  soft,  and 
her  chin  was  round  and  soft  too,  but  her  mouth,  a 
little  full  and  pronounced,  was  distinctly  sad  and 
set.  A  pair  of  large  dark  eyes  looked  out  upon 
the  world  unwaveringly  and  serenely,  if  a  little 
sorrowfully,  beneath  a  pair  of  finely-pencilled,  level 
brows,  which  formed,  as  it  were,  a  little  bar  of 
inflexible  resolve.  A  mass  of  dark  hair  was  coiled 
upon  the  girl's  head  after  the  manner  of  early 
Victorian  heroines.  It  was  a  face  at  once  striking 
and  wistful  in  its  splendour. 

The  piece  of  paper  had  been  torn  with  a  jagged 
edge  across  the  girl's  throat,  so  that  the  inscription 
which  would  have  borne  her  name  was  lacking. 

Westerham  looked  up  from  the  picture  to  Melun. 

"  You,"  he  said  simply,  "  go  everywhere  and 
know  everybody.  Therefore  I  feel  confident  that 
you  will  be  able  to  tell  me  the  name  of  this  girl. 
That  is  all  I  ask  you — at  present." 

Captain  Melun  laughed  and  then  checked  his 
laughter. 

"  The  lady,"  he  said,  "  is  Lady  Kathleen  Carfax, 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  11 

the  only  child  of  the  Earl  of  Penshurst,  who  is,  as 
even  you  are  probably  aware  " — there  was  a  covert 
sneer  in  his  tones — "  Prime  Minister  of  England." 

"  So !  "  murmured  Westerham,  and  he  nodded 
his  head. 

"Yes,"  said  Captain  Melun,  "and  if  it  is  of  any 
interest  to  you  to  know  it,  I  propose  to  marry 
Lady  Kathleen." 

"  Indeed,"  said  Westerham. 

He  folded  the  paper  and  placed  it  carefully  in 
his  breast-pocket. 

"  You  must  forgive  my  being  rude,"  he  added, 
"but  I  should  not  now  be  on  my  way  to  England 
if  I  had  not  every  intention  of  marrying  the  lady 
myself." 


CHAPTER  II 

SIR  PAUL  WESTERHAM  BUYS  THE  CRIME  SYNDICATE 

Captain  Melun  was  a  man  used  to  being  hard 
hit.  He  was  steeled  against  cunningly  and  swiftly- 
dealt  blows,  such  as  he  himself  administered,  but 
this  declaration  of  Sir  Paul  Westerham,  that  he 
intended  to  marry  the  Lady  Kathleen,  took  him 
quite  aback. 

^'^Oh! "  he  exclaimed  softly,  and  his  voice  had  a 
certain  note  of  puzzlement  and  anxiety  in  it. 
"  Oh !  "  he  repeated,  and  again  he  said  "  Oh !  " 

The  baronet  smiled  a  little  grimly  in  his  red 
beard,  but  his  duck's-egg  green  eyes  were  as  serene 
and  as  cold  as  ever. 

The  three  gently  ejaculated  "Ohs"  of  the 
captain  had  told  him  much.  His  quick  brain 
realised  that  he  had  dealt  the  captain  an  exceedingly 
well-landed  blow.  Then  the  baronet's  smile  died, 
for,  following  the  train  of  his  suspicious  thoughts, 
he  instinctively  grasped  and  held  on  to  the  idea 
that  just  as  Melun  had  been  searching  his  kit-bag 
for  the  purpose  of  blackmail,  so  that  individual 
purposed  marriage  with  the  Prime  Minister's 
daughter  to  the  same  end. 

This  notion  disquieted  him  greatly. 

It  disturbed  him  so  much  that  the  hard  eyes 
hardened.  Only  the  baronet's  friends  knew  that 
they  sometimes  hardened  because  of  the  softness 
behind  their  gaze. 

19 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  13 

Westerham's  heart,  indeed,  rose  in  revolt  against 
the  suggestion  that  this  man,  spurned  of  the  Army, 
suspected  of  the  clubs,  distrusted  by  every  honour- 
able man,  should  for  a  moment  presume  to  reach 
out  and  touch  the  hand  of  Kathleen  Carfax.  Not 
for  such  a  man  as  Melun  was  the  girl  with  the 
calm  yet,  at  the  same  time,  troubled  face,  that  had 
looked  out  from  the  tattered  picture  and  drawn 
him  back  to  England. 

Westerham's  brain  worked  as  swiftly  as  the 
brain  of  a  woman,  as  do  the  brains  of  men  who, 
cut  off  from  the  electric-lift  side  of  civilisation, 
day  by  day  face  Nature  in  its  true,  maternal,  and 
therefore  its  feminine  aspect.  It  was  a  long  guess, 
but  a  shrewd  guess,  and  a  true  guess,  that  if  Melun 
had  his  hopes  set  on  Lady  Kathleen,  the  girl  with 
the  dark  hair  and  steadfast  eyes  stood  in  some 
peril. 

The  mere  thought  of  it  quickened  Westerham's 
blood,  and  the  quickening  of  his  blood  livened  his 
brain  still  more,  so  that  he  watched,  almost  cat- 
like, the  glance  of  Melun's  eyes  as  they  followed 
the  placing  of  the  Lady  Kathleen's  picture  in  his 
pocket. 

For  a  couple  of  minutes  nothing  was  said.  Each 
man  knew  instinctively  that  he  must  move  to  the 
attack,  but  realised  that  a  mistake  at  the  opening 
of  the  game  might  possibly  spell  disaster. 

It  was  the  baronet  who  broke  the  silence — it  is 
always  the  man  who  has  least  to  fear  that  recovers 
first. 

Westerham  had  pursued  a  train  of  thought  as 
bold  as  it  was  unerring  It  had  come  home  to  him 
that  Melun  was  not  merely  a  blackmailer,  but  a 


14  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

prince  among  blackmailers.  With  infinite  speed  of 
thought  he  followed  out  his  idea,  and  came  to  a 
conclusion  which  at  once  suggested  and  vindicated 
his  next  remark, 

"I  have  never  realised  before,  Captain  Melun," 
he  said,  "  what  a  pleasure  it  was  to  meet  a  per- 
fectly-unqualified villain." 

Captain  Melun  raised  his  black  eyebrows  a  shade 
more  obliquely,  and  his  eyelids  flickered.  He  was, 
however,  equal  to  the  situation. 

"  Indeed  ?  "  he  said  coolly,  though  he  passed  his 
tongue  along  his  upper  lip  beneath  his  carefully- 
trimmed  moustache.  "Indeed?  I  shall  be  glad  if 
you  will  explain." 

Westerham  took  a  deep  breath  and  laughed  al- 
most gaily.     "  I  shall  be  charmed,"  he  said. 

He  paused  a  little  and  then  continued :  "  No  man, 
except  one  with  such  a  reputation  as  yours,"  he 
said,  "would  dream  of  regarding  Lady  Kathleen 
Carfax  as  a  possible  wife  unless  he  were  so 
equipped  with  all  the  arts  of  blackmail  that  he 
had  some  reason  to  hope  for  his  success." 

By  this  time  Captain  Melun  had  got  back  his 
composure. 

"  You  seem,"  he  said  casually,  "  to  endow  Lord 
Penshurst  with  an  exceedingly  poor  character." 

"  Not  exactly,"  said  Westerham.  "  I  endow  you 
with  an  exceedingly  dangerous  one." 

There  was  another  pause,  and  the  two  pairs  of 
eyes  sought  each  other,  and  the  heavy-lidded, 
slumberous  eyes  of  Melun  flickered  and  faltered 
beneath  those  of  the  man  who  had  so  correctly 
jumped  to  a  menacing  conclusion. 

"I  am  about  to  present  to  you  an  ar^ment," 


THE    CRIME     CLUB  15 

continued  the  baronet,  "which  unswervingly  fol- 
lows my  present  conception  of  yourself.  Long 
experience  of  this  wicked  world — by  which  I  mean 
that  particular  kind  of  vulture-like  humanity  which 
preys  upon  better  men  than  itself — enables  me  to 
assume  that  you  are  without  question  a  blackmailer, 
a  bad  blackmailer,  and  a  blackmailer  of  no  common 
type. 

"  But  I  have  also  learnt  this,  that  no  blackmailer 
can  stand  alone.  His  offence  is  the  most  cowardly 
offence  in  the  world.  A  blackmailer  is  always  a 
coward,  and  a  coward  is  invariably  afraid  of  iso- 
lated action.  I  am  therefore  very  certain  that  you 
do  not  stand  alone  in  this  attempt  to  blackmail 
me." 

Captain  Melun's  eyes  left  those  of  Westerham 
and  studied  the  white-painted  panel  behind  the 
baronet's  head. 

Sir  Paul  went  steadily  on  with  his  pitiless  and 
logical  argument. 

"  I  am  persuaded,"  he  said,  "  that  your  only 
motive  in  leaving  New  York  was  to  sail  on  the 
same  ship  as  myself,  and,  if  possible,  find  an  oppor- 
tunity of  buying  my  silence  on  some  point. 

"  Possibly  you  think  that  in  the  discovery  which 
we  have  mutually  made  in  the  past  few  minutes 
you  have  unearthed  a  fact  which  may  be  much  to 
your  advantage.    You  are  wrong. 

"  On  the  contrary,"  Sir  Paul  continued,  "  it  is  I 
who  have  unearthed  a  fact  which  may  be  much  to 
my  benefit,  and  with  your  permission  I  will  proceed 
to  explain  to  you  why." 

Captain  Melun  slowly  shrugged  his  shoulders 
and  slightly  bowed  his  head.     He  realised  that  it 


16  Tttie    CRIME    CLUB 

was  the  baronet's  move,  and  did  not  propose  to 
hinder  him  in  the  making  of  it,  inasmuch  as  until 
he  could  correctly  grasp  Westerham's  intention  he 
could  make  no  counter  move  himself. 

"  Following  therefore,"  continued  Westerham, 
"  my  original  line  of  thought,  I  should  say  that 
you  were  the  headpiece,  the  brain-piece,  of  a  well- 
planned  scheme  of  crime." 

The  faint  colour  in  Melun's  face  became  fainter 
still.  Westerham  knew  he  was  pursuing  the  right 
trail. 

"Now  with  such  men  as  yourself — mind,  I  am 
not  speaking  so  much  from  knowledge  as  from  an 
intuition  as  to  what  I  should  do  myself  were  I 
placed  in  similar  circumstances — it  is  probable  that 
you  have  sufficient  intelligence,  not  only  to  rob  your 
victims,  but  to  rob  your  friends. 

"  Another  piece  of  life's  philosophy  that  rough- 
ing it  has  taught  me  is  that  the  robber  is  always 
poor.  I  come,  therefore,  to  the  natural  deduction 
that  you  are  hard  up." 

Westerham's  whole  expression  of  face  changed 
suddenly.  The  coldness  left  it.  The  sea-green  eyes 
smiled  with  a  smile  that  invited  confidence  from 
the  man  before  him. 

"  Well ?  "  said  Melun.    "  And  what  of  it?  " 

Westerham  knew  that  the  battle  was  won. 

"  Then,"  Westerham  continued  coolly,  "  such  a 
sum  as  a  hundred  thousand  pounds  would  not  come 
amiss  to  you.  Such  a  sum  I  am  prepared  to  pay 
you — under  certain  conditions." 

He  paused  suddenly  in  his  speech  with  the  in- 
tention of  catching  the  very  slightest  exclamation 
on  the  part  of  Melun;  nor  was  he  disappointed. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  17 

'A  quick  indrawing  of  Melun's  breath  told  Wester- 
ham  that  he  was  hitting  him  hard. 

All  the  pleasantness  in  Westerham's  face  van- 
ished again,  and  he  looked  at  the  captain  with 
narrowed  eyes. 

"I  realise  that  in  offering  you  such  a  sum,"  he 
said,  "it  will,  of  course,  cost  you  something  to 
earn  it.  A  man  who  speculates  must  spend  his  own 
money  to  gain  other  people's.  A  criminal — you 
must  forgive  the  word,  but  it  is  necessary — who 
seeks  to  make  a  great  coup  at  the  expense  of  others 
must  put  up  a  certain  amount  of  money  to  bring 
it  off. 

"  I  think,  however,  that  I  am  offering  you  quite 
enough  to  enable  you  to  buy  either  the  silence  or 
the  inactivity  of  your  fellow  criminals.  A  hundred 
thousand  pounds  is  a  good  deal  of  money,  and  your 
gang  cannot  be  so  large  that  you  will  not  be  able 
to  afford  a  sufficient  sum  to  render  them  your 
servants." 

"  Exactly,"  said  Captain  Melun. 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Westerham.  "Then  you  ac- 
knowledge what  I  say  to  be  true  ?  " 

"  Sir  Paul,"  answered  Melun,  "  you  may  take 
my  word  at  what  you  judge  it  is  worth,  but  none 
the  less  I,  for  my  part,  am  prepared  to  take  the 
word  of  a  gentleman.  Do  you  give  me  your  word 
of  honour  that  the  offer — I  take  it  such  is  meant — 
is  in  all  sincerity  ?  " 

"It  is  meant  in  all  sincerity,"  said  the  baronet, 
"because  I  am  following  out  my  own  particular 
ideas,  and  I  know  that  you  have  neither  the  ca- 
pacity nor  yet  the  opportunity  of  saying  me  nay." 

No  man  was  quicker  than  Melun  to  seize  an  ad- 


18  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

vantage.  He  saw  that  Westerham  read  him 
through  and  through,  and  that  acknowledgment  of 
his  own  baseness  would  be  the  surest  way  of  ob- 
taining some  small  measure  of  the  baronet's  confi- 
dence. 

No  man  lies  to  his  doctor,  and  at  the  moment 
Melun  stood  in  the  presence  of  a  pitiless  diagnosis 
of  his  soul. 

"  Yes,  Captain  Melun,"  the  baronet  proceeded, 
"  I  admit  that  you  have  had  bad  luck,  but  your  bad 
luck  places  you  in  my  hands.  In  short,  you  can  be 
delivered  up  to  the  captain  of  this  ship  as  a  com- 
mon thief,  or  you  can  do  as  I  tell  you." 

For  a  moment  Melun  hesitated,  then  he  laughed. 

**  I  never  realised  before,"  he  said  steadily, 
almost  with  insolence,  "  that  the  blackmailer  could 
be  blackmailed." 

"  Nevertheless,"  said  Westerham,  "  such  is  the 
case." 

"It  is  with  every  confidence,"  the  baronet  con- 
tinued, "  that  I  make  you  my  present  offer.  You 
have  divined  my  secret  just  as  I  have  divined 
yours;  it  would,  however,  be  just  as  well  for  both 
if  I  explained  every  motive  of  my  action." 

He  paused  and  looked  for  a  moment  almost 
shyly  out  of  the  port-hole,  which  swung  up  and 
down  between  sea  and  sky. 

"  Where  I  have  been,"  he  said,  "  women  are  fev/ 
and  far  between.  I  never  cared  for  any  of  them — 
until — until — I  saw  this  picture." 

He  tapped  his  breast  lightly. 

"Do  you  think,"  he  continued,  his  voice  rising 
louder  again,  "  that  I  should  ever  have  set  out  for 
England  if  I  had  not  been  drawn  back  by  this? " 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  19 

He  tapped  his  breast  again.  Then  his  eyes  grew 
wider  and  his  nostrils  distended. 

"  I  suppose,"  he  cried,  with  a  certain  tone  of 
irony  in  his  voice,  "  that  I  am  a  poet.  But  I  am  a 
poet  of  the  open  air.  Do  you  think  that  I  care  a 
glass  of  barbed-wire  whisky  for  all  the  scented 
drawing-rooms  in  the  world?  I  began  life,  as  they 
call  it,  in  England,  when  I  was  young.  What  do 
you  think  I  care  for  polo,  for  Hurlingham,  for  a 
stuffy  reception  in  some  great  house  in  town? 
Nothing — nothing!  Give  me  the  open  prairie  land, 
the  tall,  blue  grass,  the  open  sky,  the  joy  of  the 
weary  body  that  has  ridden  hard  after  cattle  all 
the  day!" 

He  laughed  shortly. 

"  Do  you  think,"  he  continued,  extending  an 
almost  melodramatically  gesticulating  hand  to- 
wards the  astonished  captain,  "  that  there  is  any 
soft,  silk-bound  pillow  in  Mayfair  that  could  ap- 
peal to  me  when  I  could  sleep  under  the  stars  ?  " 

"  Heavens !  "  He  reached  out  his  arms  and 
brought  them  to  his  sides  again  with  a  strenuous 
motion,  all  his  muscles  contracted,  "  I  have  learnt," 
he  cried,  "the  lesson  that  life  is  not  only  real  and 
earnest,  but  that  life  is  hard,  that  life  is  a  battle — a 
battle  to  be  won !  " 

His  eyes  fell  upon  his  strong,  sinewy,  brown 
hands,  and  he  clenched  his  fists. 

"I  am  not  going  back  to  England  to  make 
pleasure,  but  to  fight — to  win  the  girl  of  the  pic- 
ture— from  you!" 

But  now,  to  Westerham's  surprise,  Melun  had 
turned  to  sneering.  The  baronet  was  a  breed  of 
man  the  captain  did  not  understand;  no  man  that 


«0  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

he  had  as  yet  been  acquainted  with  loosed  his  heart 
in  this  wild  manner.  It  seemed  to  him  that  Wes- 
terham  was  but  a  romantic  child. 

But  there  was  no  childhood,  no  romance,  in  the 
bitter  gaze  he  lifted  his  eyes  to  meet. 

"  Listen,"  said  Westerham,  quietly,  "  for  a  hun- 
dred thousand  pounds  I  expect  you  to  place  your- 
self at  my  disposal.  For  a  hundred  thousand  pounds 
I  expect  not  only  your  services,  but  the  services  of 
all  those  whom  you  employ.  And  the  greatest  of 
these  services  will  be  silence. 

"  I  am  going  back  to  England  as  Sir  Paul  Wes- 
terham, Baronet,  the  richest  man  in  the  world. 
Thanks  to  the  prying  oi  the  New  York  reporters 
I  have  had  to  sail  on  this  ship  in  my  own  name.  I 
did  not  wish  it,  and  I  have  no  intention  of  ever 
being  discovered  in  London  in  the  same  character 
as  I  left  New  York." 

Westerham  laughed  a  little  to  himself. 

"  No  reporters  at  the  dock-side  for  me,"  he 
said.  "No  triumphal  entry  into  London.  No  ac- 
count of  what  I  eat  and  do,  and  how  many  hours 
a  night  I  sleep.  I  am  going  back  to  London  to  do 
precisely  as  I  choose." 

Melun  was  very  quiet.  He  knew  he  had  met  a 
stronger  spirit  than  his  own.  For  all  the  bleak 
chilliness  of  the  eyes  of  the  man  who  talked  to  him, 
he  knew  that  he  had  to  deal  with  the  fierceness  of  a 
wild  animal  which  feels  the  cage  opening  before 
him,  that  Westerham  was  seeking  to  evade  the  bars 
of  a  social  prison. 

"  In  three  days'  time,"  Westerham  went  on,  "  we 
shall  be  in  Liverpool.  I  shall  leave  the  ship  in  such 
a  dress  that  no  man  will  recognise  me.    I  shall  go 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  SI 

straight  to  London  and  put  up  at  Walter's  Hotel 
in  the  Strand.  It  is  a  little  place,  where  not  even 
journalists  will  look  for  a  millionaire." 

"  You  forget,"  said  Melun,  "  that  if  you  dis- 
appear in  that  manner  there  will  be  an  awful  out- 
cry over  your  disappearance." 

"  That  matters  nothing,"  said  Westerham.  "  Dis- 
appear I  shall,  to  pursue  my  own  ends  as  I  choose 
to  follow  them.  For  once  I  am  going  to  prove 
that  money  has  the  power  to  hide  a  man.  Do  you 
agree  to  my  bargain?" 

Melun  nodded  his  head. 

"  I  agree,"  he  said,  "  because  I  must.  The  day 
after  you  land  in  Liverpool  I  will  meet  you  at 
Walter's." 

"  You  tell  me,"  said  Westerham,  "  that  you 
agree.  Yet  I  doubt  your  word.  There  is  some- 
thing which  I  have  not  yet  fathomed.  You  are  still 
thinking  of  Lady  Kathleen? 

"Lie  to  me  if  you  dare!  "  he  added  with  brutal 
emphasis. 

"  I  am  not  such  a  fool  as  to  lie  to  you,"  answered 
Captain  Melun.  "I  am  still  thinking  of  the  Lady 
Kathleen." 

"  Then  you  make  a  vast  mistake,"  said  the  bar- 
onet. 

He  rose  and  opened  the  door  for  Melun  to  pass 
out. 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  GIRL  IN  THE  PARK 


On  the  same  night  the  oily  quahty  departed  from 
the  swell.  It  came  on  to  blow,  and  blew  hard  until 
the  Gigantic  crossed  the  Mersey's  turgid  bar. 

It  was  sufficiently  rough  to  justify  a  great  num- 
ber of  persons  remaining  in  their  cabins,  but  it  was 
hardly  sufficiently  rough  to  excuse  a  two-days'  ab- 
sence of  Captain  Melun  from  the  poker  table. 

There  were  some  who  were  fools  enough  to 
grumble  at  Melun's  absence,  alleging  against  him 
that  he  sought  to  rob  them  of  that  revenge  which 
they  desired  to  make. 

But  while  the  rough  weather  kept  Captain  Melun 
below  it  brought  Sir  Paul  Westerham  on  deck. 
And  those  maidens  whose  beauty  was  weather- 
proof rejoiced  in  the  fact  that  the  hitherto  unat- 
tainable baronet  now  seemed  to  court  friendly 
advances. 

But  they,  poor  little  dears,  did  not  know  what 
Captain  Melun  did — their  dreams  of  endless  mil- 
lions were  unspoiled  by  any  knowledge  of  the  little 
paper  which  Westerham  carried  in  his  breast- 
pocket. 

On  the  third  day,  however,  there  came  a  com- 
plete right-about-face  in  the  conduct  of  the  two 
men  whose  personalities  had  most  impressed  them- 
selves on  the  ship's  company,  for  while  Melun  came 
on  deck  looking  sullen  and  morose,  the  baronet 
pleaded  a  slight  attack  of  fever  and  hid  himself 

83 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  23 

in  his  state-room.  Nor  indeed,  until  with  all  that 
serenity  on  the  bridge  and  all  that  shouting  on  the 
quay  which  goes  to  the  berthing  of  a  great  liner, 
did  any  of  the  maidens,  clamorous  for  his  presence, 
look  upon  Westerham's  face  again. 

The  gangway  lashed  securely  to  the  Gigantic's 
side,  the  first  to  step  aboard  were  the  reporters, 
anxious  and  eager-eyed,  keen  on  finding  the  miner 
who  was  now  a  baronet  and  a  millionaire.  They 
proposed  to  wire  his  life-story  up  to  London  for 
the  benefit  of  readers  beyond  number.  Hard  upon 
the  reporters  came  the  fussy  relatives  and  friends 
of  passengers,  and  amid  the  general  kissings  and 
hand-shakings  on  deck  no  one  had  much  thought 
for  any  particular  individual  beyond  himself. 

So,  without  arousing  any  comment,  there  stepped 
from  the  main  entrance  to  the  saloon  a  tall,  spare, 
clean-shaven  man  dressed  in  clerical  garb.  Even 
the  fact  that  his  face  was  exceedingly  ruddy  and 
that  his  eyes  were  of  a  peculiar  sea-green  shade 
aroused  no  comment. 

Carrying  a  little  bag  in  his  hand,  the  apparently 
athletic  curate  swept  his  way  to  the  head  of  the 
gangway,  where  his  fresh  and  smiling  face  invited 
confidence  from  the  reporters  who  hovered  there, 
nervous  lest  the  baronet  should  escape  them. 

One  of  them  lifted  his  hat,  and  stepping  for- 
ward, asked  the  tall,  youthful  parson  if  he  had  seen 
Sir  Paul  Westerham. 

The  parson  smiled  and  said  gravely: 

"  Yes,  I  saw  him  two  minutes  ago  in  his  state- 
room." 

There  was  a  stampede  on  the  part  of  the  journal- 
ists, and,  smiling  blandly  to  himself,  Westerham 


U  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

settled  his  clerical  hat  firmly  on  his  head  and  sped 
down  the  gangway. 

In  the  days  he  had  spent  below  decks  Wester- 
ham  had  mapped  out  for  himself  a  sufficiently 
daring  and  ingenious  plan  of  campaign  to  satisfy 
the  most  exacting  of  romantic  minds.  It  was,  in* 
deed,  with  almost  boyish  zest  that  he  entered  on 
the  adventure,  and  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  an 
amateur  detective  had  paved  the  way  for  slipping 
up  to  London,  there  to  become  a  lost  nonentity. 

He  knew  better  than  to  take  the  boat-train. 
Instead,  he  went  up  to  the  Adelphi  Hotel,  where 
fewer  of  his  fellow-passengers  were  likely  to  con- 
gregate than  at  the  North-Western,  deposited  his 
bag,  and  thereafter  sauntered  out  to  enjoy  a  stroll 
through  the  crowded  streets  of  Liverpool. 

At  the  Adelphi  he  slept  that  night,  proceeding 
up  to  London  on  the  following  day. 

He  arrived  at  Euston  about  one  o'clock,  and 
drove  straight  to  Walter's,  a  small  yet  comfortable 
hotel  on  the  north  side  of  the  Strand. 

Before  going  there,  however,  he  had  taken  the 
precaution  to  buy  some  passable,  if  ready-made, 
clothes,  together  with  a  tweed  cap,  so  that  there 
was  left  about  him  no  trace  of  the  clerical  disguise 
which  he  had  assumed  on  arriving  at  Liverpool. 

His  presence,  indeed,  was  sufficiently  honest  and 
prosperous  to  warrant  not  the  slightest  inquiry  as 
to  his  bona  iides  at  the  hotel.  In  an  hour  he  had 
comfortably  settled  himself  in  his  new  and  tempo- 
rary home,  taking  a  small  bedroom  and  a  small 
sitting-room  on  the  second  floor. 

Immediately  on  taking  the  room  he  had  written 
a  note  to  bis  friend,  Lord  Dunton;  who  was  prac- 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  S5 

tically  the  only  man  in  the  whole  of  London  whom 
he  considered  he  could  trust. 

Dunton  called  at  about  five  o'clock,  and  the  two 
men  spent  a  couple  of  hours  in  a  quiet  corner 
chuckling  over  the  vivid  accounts  in  the  various 
newspapers  which  told  of  the  mysterious  ..disappear- 
ance of  the  miner  baronet  from  the  Gigantic. 

Every  theory  which  could  be  advanced  was  ex- 
ploited to  the  full — murder,  suicide,  lapse  of 
memory,  and  accidents  of  every  sort  and  descrip- 
tion were  set  forth  to  account  for  Sir  Paul  Wes- 
terham's  vanishment.  There  were  interviews  with 
the  captain  and  purser  of  the  Gigantic;  interviews 
with  a  score  of  passengers,  and,  much  to  Wester- 
ham's  amusement,  numerous  bearded  portraits  of 
himself  in  a  miner's  guise. 

Then,  over  a  whisky-and-soda,  Westerham  briefly 
outlined  to  Dunton  the  adventure  with  Melun  in  his 
cabin  and  of  his  voluntary  disappearance. 

"The  only  thing  that  troubles  me,"  Westerham 
concluded,  "  is  whether  you  will  stand  by  and  see 
me  through.  It  is  practically  impossible  for  me  to 
achieve  what  I  consider  necessary  unless  I  have  at 
least  one  friend  who  will  keep  his  mouth  shut 
tight." 

*'  My  dear  fellow,"  said  Dunton,  earnestly,  "  I 
assure  you  that  if  this  is  your  whim  I  see  no  reason 
why  I  should  not  do  my  best  not  only  to  humour 
it  but  to  help  it.  By  Jove ! "  he  added,  "  but  it's 
a  ripping  good  idea!" 

For  Lord  Dunton,  who  was  very  light-haired, 
very  blue-eyed,  and  very  vapid,  had  in  his  compo- 
sition a  great  tendency  to  what  he  called  "  a  ripping 
good  lark." 


«6  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

And  so  the  two  men  arranged  the  matter  between 
them. 

They  dined  together  very  quietly  in  a  Httle 
restaurant  in  Soho,  where  nobody  who  knew  Dun- 
ton  was  Hkely  to  meet  them,  and  where  the 
cooking,  if  unpretentious,  was  at  least  good. 

Afterwards  Westerham  went  back  to  Dunton's 
rooms  in  Ryder  Street,  where  they  talked  far  into 
the  night.  They  sat  together,  indeed,  until  past 
two  o'clock,  so  that  even  the  polite  porter  at 
Walter's  raised  his  eyebrows  at  Westerham  with 
some  disapprobation  when  he  finally  returned  to 
his  hotel. 

Next  morning  Dunton  called  early,  and  together 
the  two  men  went  up  to  the  baronet's  solicitors  in 
Lincoln's  Inn.  There  they  had  a  long  and  not 
wholly  placid  interview  with  Mr.  Victor  Hantell,  a 
somewhat  elderly  gentleman  with  pronounced 
views  on  the  law  and  the  propriety  of  abiding 
strictly  by  it. 

In  answer  to  all  his  objections,  however,  the 
baronet  had  one  extremely  awkward  reply: 

Did  or  did  not  the  lawyer  wish  to  remain  en- 
trusted with  the  care  of  his  vast  estates  and 
fortune  ? 

So  after  a  couple  of  hours*  talk  matters  were 
arranged  to  Westerham's  way  of  thinking. 

A  hundred  thousand  pounds  were  to  be  paid  into 
Lord  Dunton's  account  in  order  that  Westerham 
might  be  able  to  draw  such  sums  of  money  as  he 
required  without  any  knowledge  in  any  quarter  of 
the  fact  that  the  baronet  himself  was  dealing  with 
the  bank. 

Mr.  Hantell,  moreover,  was  pledged  to  complete 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  S7 

and  absolute  secrecy,  so  that  with  the  exception  of 
the  lawyer  and  Dunton  no  one  knew  of  Wester- 
ham's  arrival  in  London. 

The  only  tinge  of  humour  that  was  introduced 
into  the  debate  on  Westerham's  affairs  was  when, 
from  time  to  time,  a  sleek  and  grave-mannered 
senior  clerk  entered  quietly  and  placed  on  Mr. 
Hantell's  desk  a  card  that  bore  the  name  of  some 
great  London  newspaper;  for  the  newspapers  had 
discovered  quickly  enough  who  Sir  Paul's  lawyers 
were.    But  they  sought  information  in  vain. 

The  few  matters  of  moment  that  required  to  be 
settled  having  been  dealt  with,  Westerham  and 
Dunton  went  to  lunch,  and  at  lunch  Westerham 
unfolded  his  further  schemes  to  his  friend. 

They  acted  upon  them  without  delay,  and  that 
afternoon  Westerham  secured  more  than  luxurious 
rooms  in  Bruton  Street  in  the  name  of  James 
Robinson.  It  should  be  mentioned  that  at  Walter's 
Hotel  Westerham  was  known  by  the  same  simple 
title. 

"  In  fact,"  said  Westerham  to  his  friend,  laugh- 
ing, as  they  afterwards  sat  over  a  whisky-and-soda 
at  Long's,  "  I  seem  to  be  setting  out  to  lead  a 
double  life  on  a  somewhat  splendid  scale.  Where, 
of  course,  it  will  land  me,  and  into  what  difficulties 
it  will  plunge  me,  naturally  I  cannot  tell,  but  it  is 
really  comforting  to  reflect  that,  no  matter  what 
caprice  I  may  indulge  in,  I  have  at  least  suffi- 
cient money  behind  me  to  provide  a  complete  ex- 
cuse. 

"  You  see,"  he  went  on  a  trifle  more  gravely, 
"  I  rely  so  much  upon  my  intuition  that  I  feel 
perfectly  justified  in  regarding  Melun  with  the  very 


^  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

gravest  suspicion.  If  I  do  my  country  no  other 
service,  I  may  at  least  be  able  to  unmask  what  I 
am  certain  is  a  gang  of  international  criminals, 
and,  at  th^  worst,  I  shall  have  plenty  of  fun  for 
my  money." 

The  main  reason  for  his  peculiar  mode  of  dis- 
appearing Westerham  kept  to  himself.  He  said 
nothing  to  Dun  ton  of  the  girl  with  the  steadfast 
eyes. 

And  there  he  was  wrong,  for  the  difficulties — the 
very  serious  and  dangerous  difficulties — into  which 
he  was  afterwards  plunged  would  have  been  far 
more  easily  surmounted  had  he  taken  his  friend 
into  his  full  confidence. 

Melun,  in  obedience  to  his  instructions,  had 
called  at  Walter's  Hotel  on  the  second  day  follow- 
ing the  arrival  of  the  Gigantic,  but  having  no  use 
for  him  then,  and  desiring  to  see  a  little  of  London 
before  he  proceeded  to  investigate  the  mysteries  of 
Melun's  life,  Westerham  told  the  urbane,  if  some- 
what sinister,  captain  that  he  did  not  require  his 
presence.  Westerham,  indeed,  informed  Melun 
pretty  curtly  that  he  would  send  for  him  when  he 
needed  him. 

The  next  five  days  were  spent  by  Westerham 
very  quietly.  The  best  of  tailors  that  Dunton 
could  recommend  were  hard  at  work  building  in- 
numerable suits  for  Mr.  James  Robinson,  whose 
magnificent  motor  car  was  at  least  a  guarantee  of 
the  soundness  of  his  banking  account. 

When  he  had  possessed  himself  of  such  clothes 
as  he  required  in  order  to  live  as  James  Robinson, 
Esq.,  of  Bruton   Street,  plain  Mr.   Robinson,  of 


THE    CRIME     CLUB  29 

Walter's  Hotel,  informed  the  proprietor  there  that 
he  was  going  into  the  country,  and  for  two  days 
Westerham  lived  in  his  new  quarters.    ^^ 

Then  he  made  excuses  to  the  correct,  sent- footed, 
and  soft-spoken  valet  with  whom  Dunton  had  pro- 
vided him,  and  went  back  to  live  at  Walter's. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  he  rather  preferred  the  ex- 
istence which  he  was  able  to  follow  when  he  wore 
cheaper  clothes  and  walked  a  humbler  path  of  life. 

It  was  not  without  distinctly  good  reason  that  he 
set  himself  systematically  to  explore  London — not 
the  London  commonly  known  to  the  average  sight- 
seer, but  the  London  of  the  obscure  Londoner, — the 
London  of  distant  suburbs,  the  London  of  mean 
streets,  the  London  of  the  docks  and  slums  and  of 
wastes  of  respectable  spaces. 

In  the  course  of  his  peregrinations  Westerham 
found  himself  one  night  at  about  the  hour  of  ten 
wandering  in  a  particularly  ill-lit  and  remote  corner 
of  Hyde  Park. 

He  was  walking  lightly  over  the  wet  grass  with 
almost  silent  feet.  Indeed,  as  he  swung  gently 
forward,  his  mind  was  far  away  on  the  soft  prairie 
land  that  he  seemed  to  have  left  years  and  years 
before.  So  occupied  was  he  with  his  thoughts  that 
he  came  near  to  walking  into  a  couple  engaged  in  a 
heated  controversy  beneath  a  tree. 

When,  however,  he  beheld  them,  he  came  to  a 
sudden  standstill,  all  his  senses  alive,  his  quick 
intuition  telling  him  he  was  in  the  presence  of  some 
matter  of  moment. 

He  did  not  like  the  look  of  the  thick-set  greasy 
man  who  faced  the  girl.    Westerham  could  read  a 


30  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

man's  character  as  easily  from  his  back  as  he  could 
from  his  face,  and  he  had  instantly  a  great  distrust 
of  the  fat  man's  aspect. 

The  girl  he  could  not  see,  but  it  was  with  some 
unaccountable  notion  of  doing  her  a  service,  and 
not  with  the  remotest  idea  of  eavesdropping,  that 
he  stepped  softly  and  silently  to  the  further  side  of 
a  tree  trunk. 

Then  he  heard  the  girl's  voice  saying  in  low, 
quiet,  earnest  accents: 

"Why  will  you  not  let  us  rest?  Why  do  you 
pursue  us  in  this  way?  Surely  it  is  inhuman  to 
adopt  these  methods.  You  know  what  you  want, 
and  you  have  practically  the  power  of  obtaining  it. 
Is  it  fair  to  drag  me  to  a  place  Hke  this  and  insult 
me  in  this  way  ?  " 

The  man  mumbled  something  which  Westerham 
could  not  catch. 

Then  he  heard  the  girl  utter  a  little  cry. 

"Look!"  she  exclaimed  eagerly.  "Look!  I  will 
make  you  an  offer.  Free  us  from  this  horrible 
nightmare,  give  me  your  word  that  you  will  not 
persecute  us  further,  and  I  will  give  you  these." 

Westerham  heard  the  rustle  of  draperies,  and 
was  conscious  that  the  girl  reached  out  her  hands. 
The  man  took  something  from  her.  His  head  was 
bent  over  the  object,  whatever  it  might  be,  long 
and  earnestly. 

Then  he  heard  a  thick  voice,  with  a  distinctly 
Semitic  lisp,  say,  "  They  are  beautiful,  very  beau- 
tiful. But  what  are  they  to  us?  You  think  they 
are  worth  a  hundred  thousand  pounds,  eh  ?  Suppose 
they  are — what  of  that?    Do  you  think  a  hundred 

thgusmd  pound?  can  clpge  Qur  Hps  ?  Do  70U  think 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  31 

a  hundred  thousand  pounds  can  save  your  father? 
Bah!" 

The  man  chuckled  thickly. 

"  But  they  are  very  pretty  baubles,"  he  v^ent  on, 
"  and  seeing  you  offer  them  to  me,  I  see  no  reason 
why  I  should  not  keep  them." 

*'  Ah !  "  cried  the  girl.  "  Then  you  will  be 
silent?" 

"  Silent !  "  exclaimed  the  man,  "  Silent,  for  this 
much!     Not  us!    Why,  it's  ridiculous." 

"  Then  give  them  back  to  me,"  said  the  girl, 
quietly,  with  a  quaver  in  her  voice.  "  Give  them 
back  to  me.    Would  you  rob  me?" 

"  I  am  not  robbing  you,"  answered  the  man, 
sullenly.  "  I  am  taking  what  you  offered  me,  I 
shall  not  give  them  back.  It  is  impossible  for  you 
to  make  me.  You  would  cry  out,  would  you? 
What  good  would  that  do?  Cry  out,  call  a  police- 
man— do  what  you  like — what  will  it  mean  for  you 
except  exposure?  What  will  it  mean  for  your 
father  except  ruin?  Give  them  back?  Not  I!  I " 

But  his  speech  ended  suddenly  at  this  point,  for 
Westerham,  always  quick  to  action,  took  quick 
action  now. 

Moving  round  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  he  caught 
the  man  deftly  by  the  collar  of  his  coat,  kicked 
his  heels  from  under  him,  and  brought  him  with 
a  heavy  crash  to  the  ground. 

The  man  lay  still. 

In  a  second  Westerham  was  on  his  knees  beside 
the  prostrate  figure.  With  swift  fingers  he  searched 
the  man's  clothing  and  found  a  mass  of  jewels 
in  the  breast-pocket  of  the  man's  outer  coat. 

In  a  twinkling  he  had  them  out,  and,  rising  to 


S^  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

his  feet,  he  held  a  heavy  string  of  diamonds  to- 
wards the  girl. 

"  Madam,"  he  cried,  "  permit  me  to  befriend 
you.    I  do  not  know  who  you  are,  but — " 

His  voice  trailed  away  into  a  little  gasp.  For 
the  frightened  face  that  stared  at  him  with  starting 
eyes  was  the  face  of  the  girl  in  the  picture. 

In  this  strange  manner  did  Westerham  meet 
Lady  Kathleen  Carfax. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  RED-HAIRED    WOMAN 

Westerham  Stood  still  gazing  stupidly  at  the  girl 
and  holding  out  the  jewels  towards  her. 

When  he  had  recovered  from  his  great  surprise 
he  moved  a  step  nearer  to  her. 

"  Madam,"  he  said,  "  permit  me  to  insist  that 
you  shall  take  these  things  back." 

Without  a  word  the  girl  stretched  out  her  hand 
and  took  the  jewels  from  him.  She  hid  them  quickly 
in  the  folds  of  her  cloak,  and  all  the  while  the  ex- 
pression of  amaze  and  fear  on  her  face  did  not 
abate. 

At  last  she  pointed  to  the  man  lying  beneath  the 
tree. 

"  You  have  not  killed  him  ?  "  she  asked,  in  a  low 
voice. 

For  answer,  Westerham  turned  again  and  knelt 
at  the  fat  man's  side.  He  inserted  his  hand  skil- 
fully over  the  unconscious  man's  heart,  and  then 
rose  to  his  feet  again. 

"  No,"  he  said,  almost  with  a  laugh.  "  Just 
knocked  him  out;  that  is  all.  He  will  be  all  right 
directly,  and  I  fancy  he  will  be  glad  to  walk  away 
without  assistance.  I  imagine  he  is  not  a  character 
who  would  care  for  much  fuss  and  attention  at 
this  time  of  the  night." 

Again  Westerham  drew  near  to  the  girl  and 
peered  gravely  and  keenly,  but  at  the  same  time 
with  all  deference,  into  her  face. 

33 


84  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  I  think,"  he  said  quietly,  "that  it  will  be  better 
for  you  to  walk  away  while  we  are  still  undis- 
turbed. If  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  accompany 
you  to  the  gates  of  the  park.  If  I  may  be  per- 
mitted to  say  so,  it  is  hardly  fitting  that  a  lady  in 
your  position,  carrying  so  much  property  about 
with  her,  should  be  strolling  around  here  unat- 
tended." 

His  tones  were  so  kind  and  so  cheering,  and 
suggested  such  a  delicate  sense  of  humour  at  the 
whole  situation,  that  Lady  Kathleen  smiled  back 
at  him. 

"  At  least,"  she  said,  and  now  she  almost  laughed 
herself,  "  you  are  a  very  sturdy  escort." 

Westerham  said  not  another  word  except,  "  This 
is  the  way,"  and  then,  guiding  the  girl  through  the 
trees,  he  reached  the  main  path  and  helped  Lady 
Kathleen  to  step  over  the  low  iron  railing;  thence 
he  piloted  her  through  a  throng  of  quite  incurious 
people  to  Hyde  Park  Corner. 

She  walked  beside  him  without  saying  anything 
at  all,  apparently  satisfied  to  be  in  his  charge;  and 
she  made  no  demur  when,  on  reaching  the  street, 
Westerham  hailed  a  passing  taxicab. 

The  man  drew  up  at  the  kerb,  and  opening  the 
door,  Westerham  assisted  the  girl  to  enter. 

Then  he  leant  forward  into  the  darkness  of  the 
cab  and  said  earnestly: 

"  I  trust  you  will  permit  me  to  see  you  safely  on 
your  road.  Apparently  one  never  knows  what  may 
happen  in  London,  and,  believe  me,  I  have  no  wish 
you  should  sufifer  a  second  adventure  such  as  the 
one  through  which  you  have  just  passed." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Lady  Kathleen  in  a  scarcely 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  36 

audible  voice.  "If  you  will  see  me  as  far  as 
Trafalgar  Square  I  shall  be  glad." 

Giving  the  order  "  Trafalgar  Square ! "  Wester- 
ham  entered  the  cab. 

They  drove  in  complete  silence  along  Piccadilly, 
down  St.  James's  Street,  and  through  Pail-Mall, 
and  rapidly  approached  the  Nelson  monument.  As 
the  lights  of  the  Grand  Hotel  came  into  view, 
Westerham  leaned  towards  the  girl  and  said  very 
gravely : 

"  Do  you  think  Trafalgar  Square  is  near  enough 
to  your  home?  Had  I  not  better  tell  the  man 
to  put  you  down  at  the  corner  of  Downing 
Street?" 

The  girl  gave  a  quick  gasp,  and  then  a  stifled 
cry. 

Westerham  could  see  her  eyes  shining  in  the 
dimly-lit  Httle  vehicle. 

"What  do  you  know?"  she  cried. 

"  H  you  mean,"  answered  Westerham,  "  what 
do  I  know  of  the  fat  man  and  the  jewels  and  your 
mission  in  Hyde  Park — nothing.  I  give  you  my 
word  I  know  nothing  at  all.  But  I  do  know  you 
are  Lady  Kathleen  Carfax,  and  that  your  father  is 
Prime  Minister  of  England,  and  that,  without  any 
high-flown  sentiments,  it  is  at  least  my  duty  to  see 
you  reach  home  in  safety." 

Obedient  to  Westerham's  instructions,  the  cab- 
man had  pulled  up  at  the  kerb  beneath  the  monu- 
ment. 

"If  you  are  sure,"  said  Westerham,  "that  you 
would  rather  alight  here,  of  course  I  must  defer  to 
your  wishes.  But  at  least  permit  me  to  follow  you 
at  a  respectful  distance  down  Whitehall.    I  cannot 


96  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

tell  why,  but  I  feel  uneasy  about  the  last  stages  of 
your  journey." 

Turning  towards  him,  the  girl  held  out  her  hand 
impulsively. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said.  "  Thank  you.  I  cannot 
tell  you  how  much  I  thank  you.  You  are  evidently  a 
gentleman.  I  ask  you  as  a  gentleman  not  to  men- 
tion to  anyone  in  the  world  what  you  have  seen 
or  heard  to-night.  Believe  me,"  she  added  with  a 
catch  in  her  voice,  "  that  to-night's  doings  concern 
the  honour  of  the  best,  and,  as  I  think,  the  greatest, 
man  in  this  country.     I  mean  my  father." 

Westerham  bowed. 

*'  You  may  trust  me  absolutely,"  he  said.  "  I 
give  you  my  word  of  honour  that  not  one  single 
word  of  this  shall  pass  my  lips.  But  may  I  say 
something  else?  May  I  be  allowed  to  make  an 
offer  of  help?  I  have  money,  I  have  many  re- 
sources at  my  command.  I  would  willingly  pledge 
myself  to  serve  you  in  any  way.  I  should  be  only 
too  proud,  too  glad,  to  help." 

"  No,  no ! "  cried  the  girl,  sharply,  and  with  a 
note  almost  of  agony  in  her  voice. 

The  distress  in  the  girl's  tones  was  so  real  that 
iWesterham  made  no  further  effort  to  persuade  her. 

He  opened  the  door  of  the  taxicab  and  assisted 
Lady  Kathleen  to  step  out. 

Then,  having  paid  the  cabman,  he  turned  to  her 
side  again. 

"If  you  will  allow  me,"  he  said,  "  I  will  at  least 
see  you  across  the  road,"  and  he  made  this  sugges- 
tion with  some  justification,  for  the  late  after- 
theatre  traffic  was  now  streaming  westwards. 

At  the  top  of  Whitehall  he  turned,  and  lifting 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  m 

his  hat,  stood  waiting  for  Lady  Kathleen  to  take 
leave  of  him.  Once  more  she  stretched  out  her 
hand  impulsively,  and  he  took  it  in  his  own. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said,  in  the  same  low,  earnest 
voice,  "  thank  you  again  and  again." 

"  So  far  as  I  am  concerned,"  said  Westerham, 
"  You  may  rely  on  my  absolute  silence — if  only," 
he  added  with  a  little  smile,  "  because  there  is 
really  no  one  in  London  with  whom  I'm  on  speak- 
ing terms." 

Lady  Kathleen  nodded  her  head  and  searched 
his  face  with  her  serious  eyes.  Then  she  turned 
and  walked  quickly  away. 

As  for  Westerham,  he  ran  quickly  across  to  the 
further  side  of  the  roadway  that  he  might  watch 
Lady  Kathleen's  progress  to  Downing  Street,  for 
he  was  still  fearful  that  she  might  meet  with  fur- 
ther molestation.  He  saw,  however,  that  she 
reached  the  corner  of  the  famous  little  cul-de-sac 
in  safety,  and,  moreover,  that  she  was  saluted  by 
an  apparently  surprised  and  startled  policeman. 

As  Westerham  walked  back  to  Walter's  Hotel 
he  was  in  a  most  perplexed  state  of  mind.  Was 
it  possible  that  he  had  stepped  suddenly  into  the 
midst  of  some  tragic  mystery?  Was  it  possible 
that  it  was  real  and  actual  sorrow  and  horror  that 
had  made  the  eyes  of  the  girl  in  the  picture — the 
eyes  of  the  girl  who  had  drawn  him  back  to  Eng- 
land— so  wistful  and  so  beckoning? 

That  a  girl  in  Lady  Kathleen  Carfax's  position 
might  be  suffering  some  profound  grief,  or  might 
be  the  centre  of  some  bit  of  distressing  family  his- 
tory, might  well  be  conceived.  But  what  should 
take  the  daughter  of  the  Prime  Minister  of  Eng- 


88  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

land  to  Hyde  Park  after  dark,  and  what  extraor- 
dinary combination  of  inappropriate  events  could 
possibly  cause  her  to  seek  the  silence  of  such  a 
man  as  he  had  left  insensible? 

Melun?  It  was  possible  that  he  was  connected 
with  the  mystery.  Westerham  now  remembered 
the  man's  cynical  and  confident  smile  when  he  had 
so  unwisely  boasted  to  him  that  he  proposed  to 
marry  Lady  Kathleen. 

If  Melun  were  really  implicated  in  this  business, 
then  the  methods  of  his  villainy  must  be  far  more 
complicated  than  Westerham  had  anticipated.  Only 
a  very  extraordinary  conspiracy  indeed  could  pos- 
sibly have  taken  the  Prime  Minister's  daughter  into 
the  park  at  such  an  hour. 

From  Westerham's  own  personal  experience 
Melun  was  a  very  prince  of  blackmailers.  Indeed, 
he  had  not  troubled  to  deny  the  accusation  when 
Westerham  had  made  it.  But  even  the  nimble 
imagination  of  Westerham  had  not  foreseen  the 
possibility  of  blackmailing  the  Prime  Minister,  at 
whose  back  were  all  the  forces  of  the  law,  includ- 
ing a  discreet  and  silent  and  swiftly -acting  Scot- 
land Yard. 

Westerham  sat  far  into  the  night,  turning  all 
these  things  over  in  his  mind;  and  the  more  he 
pondered  over  them  the  more  convinced  he  became 
that  Melun  must  be  in  some  way  implicated,  if  in- 
deed he  were  not  the  originator  of  the  whole 
business. 

It  was,  however,  upon  what  matter  Melun  could 
possibly  blackmail  Lord  Penshurst  that  caused 
Westerham  the  most  perplexity. 

Obviously  it  was  not  some  minor  question  of 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  89 

personal  honour  which  involved  the  necessity  of 
maintaining  some  sordid  and  disgraceful  secret, 
or  obviously  Lord  Penshurst's  daughter  would  not 
be  risking  her  personal  safety,  and  to  a  great  ex- 
tent her  reputation,  by  making  such  a  visit  to  the 
park. 

No;  evidently  the  matter  involved  some  great 
State  secret,  concerning  which  the  Prime  Minister 
had  sought  the  confidence  and  assistance  of  his 
daughter.  Yet  Westerham  could  not  altogether 
understand  how  this  might  be,  because  he  could  not 
conceive  any  matter  of  State  which  it  would  not  be 
better  to  trust  to  the  Secret  Service  than  to  a  young 
girl. 

Whatever  it  might  be,  the  mystery  embraced  Lady 
Kathleen;  and  with  the  single-hearted  desire  to 
assist  her,  Westerham  determined,  whether  it 
pleased  her  or  not,  that  he  would  range  himself 
on  her  side. 

To  do  this,  however,  it  would  be  necessary  to 
discover  what  the  mystery  was,  and  he  was  still 
far  from  the  solution  when  he  fell  asleep. 

On  the  morrow  he  rose  early,  and  sat  till  lunch- 
time  in  the  reading-room  holding  a  paper  before 
him,  but  in  reality  setting  up  and  then  demolishing 
a  thousand  and  one  theories  to  account  for  Lady 
Kathleen's  plight. 

He  had  sent  for  Melun,  and  while  he  waited  for 
him  he  debated  with  himself  as  to  whether  or  not 
he  should  tax  the  captain  with  complicity  in  the 
matter.  Finally  he  decided  against  such  a  course, 
seeing  that  an  affair  of  such  a  magnitude  as  that 
in  which  Lady  Kathleen  was  entangled  must  of  a 
certainty  outweigh  in  value  even  the  great  financial 


40  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

inducements  with  which  he  had  sought  to  attach 
Melun  to  himself. 

Finally  Sir  Paul  resolved  to  cease  his  explora- 
tion of  London  and  begin  his  exploration  of  the 
devious  paths  of  Captain  Melun,  with  the  turnings 
and  twistings  of  which  he  was  still  unacquainted. 

It  was  quite  possible  that  for  the  better  con- 
duct of  his  campaign  against  the  Prime  Minister 
Melun  might  require  a  certain  amount  of  ready 
money,  and  in  return  for  that  ready  money  the 
captain  might  be  led  into  showing  Westerham  suffi- 
cient of  his  life  to  enable  the  baronet  to  grasp  and 
understand  the  mystery  of  Lady  Kathleen. 

When  at  last  Captain  Melun  came  up  after  lunch 
Westerham  greeted  him  coldly — so  coldly  that  the 
captain  raised  his  eyebrows. 

"  It  seems,"  he  said,  "  that  you  are  not  in  a  very 
good  humour.    Is  London  beginning  to  bore  you  ?  " 

Sir  Paul  looked  at  him  sharply.  "  No,"  he  said, 
thoughtfully,  "  not  in  the  least,  though  I  confess 
that  I  have  to  some  extent  exhausted  its  ordinary 
attractions.  Now  I  propose  to  plunge  a  little 
deeper  into  its  secrets  and  its  mysteries.  In  this 
direction  I  am,  of  course,  looking  to  you  to  help 
me. 

The  captain  nodded.  "  Quite  so,"  he  agreed, 
"  but  I  hope  you  realise  that  up  to  the  present  I 
have  had  nothing  but  your  promises  of  favours  to 
come — and  times  are  hard." 

For  answer,  the  baronet  took  out  his  pocket- 
book  and  counted  out  ten  one-hundred-pound  notes 
upon  the  table. 

"  This,"  he  said,  "  should  be  a  sufficient  guar- 
antee of  my  good  faith  for  the  present.    Mark  you, 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  41 

I  have  had  some  experience  of  your  kind  before, 
and  I  do  not  propose  to  pay  down  a  lump  sum  for 
services  which  you  may  subsequently  find  it  incon- 
venient to  render. 

"  Now  I  will  come  to  the  point  at  once.  I  don't 
propose  to  spend  a  thousand  pounds  for  nothing — 
and  when  I  say  nothing,  I  mean  for  the  privilege 
of  knowing  you  alone.  I  am  desirous  of  making 
the  acquaintance  of  your  friends  and  colleagues  at 
once." 

Melun  laughed,  showing  his  fine  teeth.  "  I  have 
not  the  slightest  objection,"  he  said,  "  and,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  you  have  chosen  a  particularly  con- 
venient day,  for  it  is  on  Wednesdays  that  the  heads 
of  my  business  meet  to  discuss  a  few  personal 
matters. 

"  To-day  I  will  not  disguise  from  you  the  fact 
that  the  discussion  will  be  yourself.  I  have  made 
known  some  details  of  your  offer — but  not  all  of 
them,  because  my  friends  are  not  so  gifted  with 
imagination  as  myself,  and  I  must  confess  that 
your  proposal  is  regarded  with  considerable  sus- 
picion." 

The  captain  moved  aside  and  looked  thought- 
fully out  of  the  window  for  a  few  moments;  then 
he  turned  round  on  his  heel  sharply. 

"  I  will  be  perfectly  frank  with  you,"  he  said 
with  an  amazingly  good  attempt  at  breezy  honesty. 
"  All  of  my  friends  are  not  particularly  nice  peo- 
ple, and  if  they  had  any  idea  that  you  were  likely 
to  play  them  false,  not  even  the  consideration  of 
tapping  your  vast  wealth  would  restrain  them  from 
putting  you  out  of  the  way." 

"  There  is  such  a  thing,"  said  Westerham,  lightly, 


4«  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"  as    killing    the    goose    which    lays    the    golden 
eggs." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  captain,  gravely,  "  but  even  a 
supply  of  golden  eggs  may  be  retained  at  too  dear 
a  price." 

"  However,"  he  went  on  with  an  air  of  gaiety, 
"  this  is  rather  too  serious  a  matter  to  consider  to- 
day. I  simply  intended  to  throw  out  a  kindly 
hint." 

"I'm  sure  you  are  very  good,"  said  Westerham 
with  a  fine  sarcasm.  "  I  had  not  looked  for  you  to 
be  so  completely  considerate." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  said  the  captain,  "  to  ask  you  to 
a  meal  which  goes  ill  with  your  present  position, 
but,  truth  to  tell,  as  the  evening  is  always  a  busy 
time  with  us,  we  find  it  more  convenient  to  discuss 
our  plans  over  high  tea." 

He  took  out  his  watch  and  looked  at  it  thought- 
fully. "H  we  start  now  we  shall  be  at  Heme  Hill 
at  about  five  o'clock — that  will  suit  us  admirably." 

*'  Very  well,"  said  the  baronet,  picking  up  his 
hat,  "  I  am  ready  to  go  when  you  are." 

At  the  hall  door  Sir  Paul  stopped  and  looked 
out  into  the  street,  and  was  in  the  act  of  hailing 
a  passing  cab  when  the  captain  stayed  his  hand. 

"  Oh,  no,"  he  said,  with  a  quiet  laugh ;  "  we  take 
no  cabs  to  Heme  Hill  from  here.  You  will  find 
it  far  more  convenient  to  take  a  tram  when  there 
is  a  possibility  that  your  movements  are  being  fol- 
lowed with  attention."  . 

Without  another  word  he  led  the  way  down  the 
Embankment,  and  on  to  Westminster  Bridge,  where 
the  two  men  took  a  car  to  the  Elephant  and  Castle. 

From  this  point  the  captain  took  an  omnibus,^ 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  43 

and  twenty  minutes  later  they  were  in  the  pretty 
and  innocent  and  homely  suburb  of  Heme  Hill. 

Stepping  ahead  with  quick  and  unhesitating 
strides,  Melun  led  the  way  up  a  long  avenue,  and 
turned  into  the  gate  of  a  pleasant  garden,  in  which 
there  stood  a  substantial  red-brick  house. 

On  his  ringing  the  bell  the  door  was  opened  by 
a  German  man-servant,  and  a  moment  later  they 
were  shown  into  a  prettily-furnished  drawing- 
room  of  the  suburban  type. 

From  a  seat  by  the  fire  there  arose  an  elderly 
lady  dressed  in  decorous  black  silk.  This  was  the 
hostess,  Mrs.  Bagley.  Her  face  was  broad  and  flat, 
and  she  had  a  pair  of  little  black  eyes  that  danced 
and  glinted.  Her  grey  hair  was  neatly  parted  be- 
neath a  black  lace  cap.  Altogether  she  looked  a 
particularly  respectable  middle-aged  British  ma- 
tron. Her  aspect,  indeed,  was  so  completely  pre- 
cise and  prim,  that  when  he  turned  from  shaking 
hands  with  her,  Sir  Paul  was  almost  taken  aback 
at  the  utter  contrast  which  the  other  woman  in  the 
room  presented  to  Mrs.  Bagley. 

The  other  woman  must  in  her  time  have  been 
out  of  the  common  beautiful.  She  was  beautiful 
even  now,  though  her  eyes  were  very  tired  and  her 
face  when  in  repose  was  hard  and  set.  Her  hair 
would  have  at  once  aroused  suspicion  that  it  was 
dyed,  for  it  was  lustrous  and  brilliant  as  burnished 
copper.  But  the  suspicion  would  have  been  with- 
out justification,  in  the  same  way  as  would  have 
been  the  notion  that  the  very  pronounced  colour 
on  the  woman's  cheeks  was  artificial  too. 

"  Madame  Estelle,"  said  Melun,  by  way  of  in- 
troduction,   and    his    heavy-lidded    eyes    glanced 


44  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

quickly  from  the  red-haired  woman  to  Sir  Paul. 
He  noted  with  considerable  satisfaction  that  the 
baronet  was  evidently  much  struck  by  the  beauty 
of  Estelle. 

The  third  occupant  of  the  room  was  a  tall  young 
man  of  the  most  unpleasant  appearance. 

He  had  very  light  blue  eyes,  closely  set  together, 
and  a  large,  red,  hawk-like  nose.  His  hands  were 
large  and  red,  with  immense  knuckles  and  brutal, 
short,  stubbed  nails.  Westerham  took  one  of  the 
huge  red  hands  with  a  little  shudder.  It  was  cold 
and  clammy  and  strong  as  a  vice. 

"  If  ever,"  thought  the  baronet  to  himself,  "  I 
have  touched  the  hand  of  a  murderer,  I  have 
touched  one  now." 

The  tall  young  man  sat  down  by  the  window 
and  carefully  watched  the  baronet  with  his  nar- 
row, light  blue  eyes.  The  quick  gaze  of  the  eld- 
erly matron  glinted  and  flashed  all  over  Wester- 
ham's  face.  The  captain  looked  at  him  sidelong. 
The  red-haired  woman  alone  gazed  at  him  openly 
and  frankly  with  eyes  that  were  almost  honestly 
blue. 

There  was  a  little  pause  while  conversation  hung 
fire.  There  was  nothing  for  this  curious  collection 
of  human  beings  to  talk  about  except  the  baronet 
himself,  and  on  this  subject  their  tongues  had  to 
be  silent  as  long  as  he  remained. 

Suddenly  the  door  opened,  and  a  portly  man 
with  a  sallow,  greasy  face  came  quickly  in.  He 
stood  still,  with  his  hand  on  the  panel  of  the  door, 
and  gave  a  short,  quick  gasp  which  caused  the 
captain  to  look  at  him  sharply. 

And  schooled  as  he  was  against  the  betrayal  of 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  45 

any  feeling,  Westerham  himself  nearly  uttered  an 
exclamation,  for  the  man  who  had  entered  the 
room  so  suddenly  was  the  fat  man  out  of  whom  he 
had  knocked  the  sense  the  night  before. 

The  fat  man  closed  the  door  behind  him  gently, 
and  came  into  the  centre  of  the  room. 

"  Sir  Paul,"  said  Captain  Melun,  "  allow  me  to 
present  Mr.  Bagley.  Mr.  Bagley  is  the  manager  of 
a  branch  of  a  great  bank,  and  acts  as  our  finan- 
cier." 

Mr.  Bagley's  sallow  and  greasy  countenance 
broke  into  a  hideously  affable  smile.  Westerham 
found  himself  shaking  hands  with  the  man  who 
held  Lady  Kathleen's  secret. 

The  pause  which  followed  this  introduction  be- 
came so  embarrassing  that  Mrs.  Bagley  suggested 
that  they  should  go  in  to  tea;  and  in  a  cheerful 
dining-room  Westerham  found  himself  looking 
curiously  at  the  collection  of  tea  and  coffee  pots, 
whisky  decanters,  bacon  and  eggs,  and  muffins  and 
cakes,  which  were  spread  promiscuously  on  the 
clean  white  tablecloth. 

The  conversation  turned  on  many  things,  but 
for  the  most  part  upon  the  weather.  When  the 
little  party  had  eaten  and  drunk  their  fill  the  cap- 
tain rapped  sharply  on  the  table. 

There  was  complete  silence,  in  -which  Melun 
rose,  and  having  first  closed  the  window  he  after- 
wards opened  the  door  to  satisfy  himself  that  no 
one  listened  without. 

He  then  returned  to  his  seat  at  the  table  and 
spoke  quickly  and  in  a  low  voice. 

"  I  have  told  you,"  he  said  rapidly,  "  how  I  met 
Sir  Paul." 


46  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

The  baronet  could  not  resist  the  luxury  of  a 
sardonic  little  smile. 

Melun  saw  it  and  winced,  but  went  boldly  on 
with  his  subject. 

"  It  is  quite  excusable,"  he  said,  "  for  the  richest 
man  on  the  earth  to  desire  to  indulge  his  whims, 
and  if  we  can  assist  Sir  Paul  to  humour  his,  to  his 
own  advantage  and  ours,  then  so  much  the  better 
for  us  all.  The  terms  which  Sir  Paul  has  offered 
are  generous  to  a  degree,  while  the  risks  we  run 
are  slight.  Sir  Paul  has  not  pressed  us  in  any 
way.  He  desired  in  return  for  the  money  he  was 
about  to  hand  over  to  us  to  make  the  acquaintance 
— of  my  friends.  He  has  now  met  them,  and  I 
trust  that  he  is  at  least  satisfied." 

Westerham  bowed. 

"For  the  present,  therefore,"  the  captain  con- 
tinued, "there  remains  nothing  to  be  said  and 
nothing  to  be  done.  We,  of  course,  have  several 
things  to  discuss,  and  I  am  sure  that  Sir  Paul  will 
not  take  it  amiss  if  we  ask  him  to  excuse  us.  It 
is  quite  impossible  for  him  to  take  part  in  our 
counsels.  There  is  no  immediate  hurry,  but  still  we 
must  talk  matters  over  before  it  is  much  later." 

Westerham  rose  to  his  feet.  Truth  to  tell,  he 
desired  to  shake  off  the  dust  of  Heme  Hill,  not  so 
much  to  enable  Captain  Melun's  extraordmary 
friends  to  discuss  their  plans,  but  because  he  was 
sufficiently  bored  to  wish  to  leave  them. 

To  Westerham's  surprise,  however,  Mme.  Es- 
telle  rose  too. 

"  My  carriage  is,  I  think,  waiting  for  me,"  she 
said  in  an  almost  gentle  voice,  "and  if  Sir  Paul 
■yviJl  allow  me  I  will  drive  him  back," 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  47 

Melun  gave  both  the  red-haired  woman  and  the 
baronet  a  distinctly  ugly  look.  He  was,  indeed, 
about  to  raise  some  objection  when  Mme.  Estelle 
spoke  again. 

"  I  will  see  you  to-morrow,"  she  said,  turning 
quickly  towards  him. 

Melun  bit  his  lips,  but  said  nothing,  though  he 
followed  her  and  the  baronet  out  of  the  room  and 
saw  them  to  the  carriage,  which  was  a  well-ap- 
pointed, quiet  little  brougham  drawn  by  a  well-bred 
bay. 

Westerham  was  somewhat  puzzled  by  all  that 
had  taken  place,  but  he  had,  at  any  rate,  quickly 
divined  that  Mme.  Estelle  stood  in  no  particular 
fear  of  Melun,  and  both  for  reasons  of  vanity  and 
policy  he  determined  to  show  her  that  he  himself 
could,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  exercise  some  authority 
over  the  evil-looking  captain. 

Westerham  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  carriage 
as  it  was  driving  away  and  said  sharply  to  Melun, 
"  I  shall  expect  you  to-morrow  at  noon." 

For  quite  a  while  they  drove  north  in  silence.  It 
was  not,  indeed,  until  they  were  passing  through 
Regent  Street  that  Mme.  Estelle  turned  to  Wester- 
ham and  spoke  the  first  word. 

"  Forgive  my  being  so  blunt,"  she  said,  "  but  I 
think  you  are  playing  an  exceedingly  dangerous 
game." 

"  What  it  is  possible  for  a  woman  to  do  is  pos- 
sible for  me  to  do,"  said  Westerham. 

The  woman  sighed.  "Ah,  yes,  possible,"  she 
said,  "and  yet  with  you  and  with  me  things  are 
quite  different.  You  have  nothing  to  gain  and 
everything  to  lose — I  have  nothing  to  lose  at  all." 


48  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

They  drove  on  again  in  silence — a  long  silence, 
during  which  Westerham  turned  many  things  over 
in  his  mind,  and  the  conclusion  he  came  to  was  that 
it  would  be  well  to  have  this  woman  for  his  friend. 

They  were  driving  past  the  graveyard  of  the  St. 
John's  Wood  Chapel  when  he  turned  to  her  almost 
sharply  and  said,  "  Are  you  sure  that  I  have  noth- 
ing to  gain  ?  " 

Mme.  Estelle  turned  and  looked  at  him  quickly, 
and  her  eyes  were  startled ;  the  brilliant  colour  had 
left  her  face. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  she  cried.  "You  are 
Sir  Paul,  aren't  you?" 

"  Madam,"  said  Westerham,  almost  gently,  "  I'm 
sorry  if  I  startled  you.  Those  who  run  great 
risks  always  imagine  that  the  greatest  object  of 
every  other  person  is  to  accomplish  their  down- 
fall. I  assure  you  that  no  such  motive  prompted 
me  in  making  the  bargain  I  have  made  with 
Melun." 

"Then,"  said  the  woman,  "you  can  have  no 
aim  unless  it  be  mere  idle  curiosity?" 

Westerham  said  nothing  for  the  moment,  but 
five  minutes  later,  as  though  he  were  resuming  a 
conversation  which  had  been  abruptly  broken  off, 
he  said,  "  I  am  not  so  sure." 

The  carriage  had  now  passed  out  of  the  Finch- 
ley  Road  into  a  quiet  cul-de-sac,  and  had  drawn  up 
before  a  high  wooden  door  let  into  a  garden  wall. 

Westerham  assisted  Mme.  Estelle  to  alight.  She 
asked  him  to  ring  the  bell,  which  he  did,  and  a 
second  later  the  garden  door  opened  by  some  un- 
seen agency. 

When  she  had  stepped  into  the  garden,  Mme. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  49 

Estelle  beckoned  to  Westerham  to  follow  her,  and 
he  stepped  into  the  garden  and  stood  beside  her. 

She  closed  the  door  to,  glanced  over  her  shoul- 
der to  see  that  she  was  not  observed,  and  then 
caught  Westerham  by  the  coat. 

"  Sir  Paul,"  she  cried  in  a  low  voice,  "  you  are 
a  young  man.  Do  not  destroy  your  life  for  a  piece 
of  folly.  Cut  yourself  adrift  from  this  while  there 
is  still  time." 

Westerham  took  her  hand  and  looked  at  her 
kindly.  "  Thank  you,"  he  said ;  "  thank  you  very 
much.  But  I  am  not  only  moved  by  folly  to  go  on 
with  this  business.  Some  day  I  may  explain  to 
you.  I  do  not  know  that  I  particularly  care  for 
going  on,  but  there  is  no  drawing  back  now." 


CHAPTER   Vi 

THE  CRIME  CLUB 

Westerham  made  his  way  back  to  Walter's  in  a 
slightly  happier  frame  of  mind.  He  liked  to  see 
his  difficulties  plain  before  him  rather  than  to  be 
hemmed  about  with  mysteries  that  he  could  not  un- 
derstand. And  difficulty  seemed  to  be  piling  it- 
self upon  difficulty. 

Much,  of  course,  remained  to  be  explained.  He 
was  not  sure  of  the  different  parts  which  the 
weirdly  associated  people  whom  he  had  met  that 
afternoon  played  in  Melun's  game.  He  could, 
however,  make  a  guess,  and  his  shrewd  guess  was 
not  so  wide  of  the  mark. 

Bagley,  as  he  had  learned  from  Melun,  was  the 
smug  manager  of  a  branch  of  a  considerable  bank- 
ing firm.  His  wife,  of  course,  explained  herself. 
The  young  man  Crow,  with  the  large,  cruel,  red 
hands,  was  probably  Melun's  principal  striking 
force  in  times  of  trouble.  The  captain  himself,  he 
imagined,  furnished  the  brains,  while  Bagley  sup- 
plied the  finance. 

But  what  of  Mme.  Estelle?  That  she  had  her 
part  allotted  to  her  in  the  strange  drama  unfold- 
ing itself  Westerham  could  not  doubt.  But  what 
part? 

Some  parts  that  he  could  conceive  were  almost 
too  unpleasant  to  think  of.  Putting  the  thing  at 
its  best,  he  could  not  imagine  that  Mme.  Estelle 
acted  as  less  than  a  lure. 

50 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  51 

But  what  tie  bound  her  to  Melun?  What  tie 
kept  her  within  the  confines  of  this  strange  col- 
lection of  human  beings? 

For  a  moment  Westerham's  heart  grew  light 
within  him.  It  was  possible  that  the  tie  was  con- 
nected with  Captain  Melun.  Was  she  his  wife? 
If  he  could  but  establish  that,  then  the  captain's 
boast  that  he  would  marry  Lady  Kathleen  was  vain 
indeed. 

Westerham  decided  to  inquire. 

He  was  most  eager  to  discover  the  ways  in 
which  Melun  and  his  confederates  worked.  If  he 
had,  indeed,  been  free  to  follow  his  course  of 
curiosity  unfettered  he  would  have  gone  steadily 
forward  until  he  had  discovered  the  uttermost  of 
their  wrong-doing.  He  was,  however,  from  the 
outset  balked  by  the  problem  presented  by  Lady 
Kathleen,  and  he  realised  at  once  that  it  was  upon 
the  solution  of  this  that  he  must  set  his  whole 
mind. 

Sir  Paul  was,  indeed,  confronted  by  a  very  Gor- 
dian  knot  of  problems.  He  laughed  a  little  as  he 
made  the  simile  to  himself,  until  he  reflected  that 
he  was  not  an  Alexander  armed  with  a  sword  who 
could  disperse  the  problems  at  one  blow.  His,  in- 
deed, would  be  the  laborious  task  of  unravelling 
them  one  by  one ;  nor  could  he  see  any  better  way 
than  by  beginning  at  the  very  beginning,  which,  so 
far  as  he  was  concerned,  meant  a  full  knowledge 
of  Melun's  intimates  and  surroundings. 

He  was  quick  to  see  that,  with  all  the  possibili- 
ties offered  by  a  great  organisation  of  crime, 
Melun  must  of  necessity  have  a  certain  number  of 
hardier  spirits  than  those  represented  by  Bagley, 


52  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Mme.  Estelle,  or  even  Crow  to  do  his  rough-and- 
ready  work.  Westerham  resolved  to  know  these 
rough-and-readier  spirits  at  once. 

That  night  he  did  nothing  except  to  wander 
down  to  Downing  Street  and  stand  for  a  httle 
while  thinking  over  matters  at  the  corner  of  White- 
hall. He  stood  there,  indeed,  for  an  unwise  length 
of  time,  so  that  at  last  he  drew  upon  himself  the 
attention  of  the  constable  stationed  on  point  duty. 
Perceiving  this  Westerham  turned  and  walked  back 
to  his  hotel,  where  he  did  his  best  to  amuse  him- 
self by  aimlessly  meandering  through  the  pages  of 
various  newspapers. 

Knowing,  too,  that  Lady  Kathleen  stood  suffi- 
ciently in  the  world's  eye  to  merit  the  attention  of 
the  Press,  Westerham  instinctively  turned  towards 
those  columns  which  deal  with  the  doings  of  So- 
ciety. Nor  was  his  search  unrewarded,  for  before 
long  he  came  across  a  paragraph  which  set  forth 
that  the  Prime  Minister  and  his  daughter,  the  Lady 
Kathleen  Carfax,  would  in  two  days'  time  give  a 
great  reception  at  Lord  Penshurst's  official  resi- 
dence in  Downing  Street. 

"  Now,"  said  Westerham  to  himself,  "  I  shall 
see  to  what  extent  Melun  speaks  the  truth.  For, 
unless  he  is  a  liar,  I  will  go  to  that  reception  my- 
self." 

Therefore  he  sat  down  and  wrote  a  note  to 
Melun  requesting  him  to  call  after  lunch  the  next 
day. 

In  due  course  Melun  came,  and  Westerham  pro- 
ceeded to  speak  to  him  on  the  lines  he  had  mapped 
out  for  himself  the  day  before.  Much,  indeed,  to 
the  captain's  discomfort,  he  advanced  his  theory 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  S3 

that  Melun  had  confederates  of  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent type  from  the  Bagleys  and  Mme.  Estelle. 

"  In  fact,"  said  the  baronet,  fixing  his  unpleas- 
antly cold  sea-green  gaze  on  Melun' s  shifting  eyes, 
**  it  is  practically  useless  for  you  to  dispute  my 
arguments,  and  if  you  have  any  hope  of  my  ful- 
filling my  part  of  the  bargain  you  had  better  in- 
troduce me  to  them  without  delay." 

Melun  laughed.  It  was  a  habit  of  his  to  laugh 
when  embarrassed. 

"  Really,"  he  said  with  a  slightly  bantering  air, 
"you  are  almost  too  swift  for  me.  Believe  me, 
you  are  dangerously  quick.  It  is  most  unwise  for 
a  man  to  plunge  suddenly  into  an  acquaintance 
with  the  various  kinds  of  undesirable  people  which 
it  is  my  misfortune  to  know. 

**  They  are  rather  touchy  about  their  privacy, 
and  they  are  apt  actively  to  resent  intrusion.  I 
should  leave  them  alone.  Personally,  I  dislike  fuss 
of  every  description,  but  especially  the  kind  of 
fuss  which  hurts  physically." 

Then  he  caught  a  slight  sneer  on  Westerham's 
mouth  and  reddened  a  little.  He  reddened  still 
more  when  the  baronet  said  shortly,  "  I  thought 
so. 

Melun's  composure,  however,  returned  to  him 
almost  instantly.  "  Come,  come,"  he  said,  "  it  is 
foolish  to  be  nasty  to  your  friends.  We  all  have 
our  little  failings.  I  have  mine.  Yours,  it  seems, 
I  is  rashness;  mine  may  be  timidity.  It  is  purely  a 
question  of  constitution." 

"  Constitution,"  said  Westerham,  grimly,  "  is 
largely  a  question  of  degrees  of  force.  On  this  oc- 
casion I  think  that  force  will  win.     Please  under- 


54  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

stand  me  distinctly  that,  however  rash  you  may 
think  me,  however  fooHsh  my  haste  may  appear,  I 
am  determined  to  see  the  rest  of  your  organisation 
without  further  delay." 

Melun  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  So  be  it,"  he  said ;  "  we  shall  want  a  couple 
of  caps,  and  you  will  have  to  turn  your  collar  up. 
Not  even  the  comparatively  humble  bowler  is  par- 
ticularly acceptable  in  Limehouse." 

"  Limehouse !  "  exclaimed  Westerham.  'And  he 
smiled  a  pleased  little  smile  to  himself.  Events 
were  developing  themselves  in  a  sufficiently  melo- 
dramatic way  to  be  entertaining.  "Limehouse," 
he  said  again.     "  I  was  there  yesterday." 

Melun  drew  in  his  breath  sharply  and  bared  his 
teeth  in  an  unpleasant  snarl. 

"Have  you  been  spying?"  he  asked  coarsely. 

"  I  don't  spy,"  said  Westerham,  coldly. 

And  that  was  sufficient. 

The  two  men  ate  a  rather  gloomy  dinner  in  the 
small  hotel.  Conversation  lagged,  for  as  yet  they 
had  not  much  in  common.  Each  of  them,  how- 
ever, from  a  different  point  of  view,  was  soon  to 
have  far  too  much  in  common  with  the  other. 

Towards  eight  o'clock  Melun  rose  and  suggested 
that  they  should  be  going.  Westerham  provided 
him  with  a  cap,  and  having  pulled  their  coat  col- 
lars about  their  ears,  they  climbed  on  board  one  of 
the  Blackwall  motor  omnibuses. 

On  this  they  travelled  as  far  as  Leman  Street, 
where  Melun  descended  from  the  omnibus  roof. 
Westerham  followed  at  his  heels. 

They  then  took  a  tram,  and  for  what  seemed  to 
Westerham  an   interminable   time  they  travelled 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  66 

slowly  eastward  along  the  Commercial  Road. 
Presently  a  great  white  tower  threw  into  greater 
blackness  the  surrounding  black  of  the  murky  sky. 
Westerham,  as  the  result  of  his  recent  experiences 
in  the  East  End,  knew  the  tower  to  be  that  of 
Limehouse  church. 

Here  they  again  alighted,  and  Melun  walked 
quickly  down  that  curious  street  which  is  known 
as  Limehouse  Cut. 

Gas  lamps  standing  at  long  intervals  threw  a 
very  feeble  and  flickering  light  upon  the  small, 
low-built  shops  which  traverse  its  western  side. 
The  light,  however,  was  sufficient  to  show  the 
curious  hieroglyphics  which  proclaimed  the  tenants 
of  those  shops  to  be  Chinese. 

At  the  bottom  of  Limehouse  Cut  Melun  turned 
sharp  to  the  right,  and  in  a  little  space  set  back 
from  the  road  Westerham  found  himself  survey- 
ing yet  another  of  the  queer  little  hieroglyphic- 
ridden  shops.  But  there  was  a  difference,  for 
whereas  the  others  were  low  built,  this  was  some 
four  storeys  high.  The  door,  too,  instead  of  being 
glass-panelled,  was  of  solid  wood,  and  apparently 
of  great  strength. 

On  this  Melun  knocked  sharply  with  his  knuckles 
nine  times,  the  first  three  raps  being  slow,  the  sec- 
ond three  raps  being  slow,  and  the  last  three  raps 
being  quick  and  decisive. 

Almost  immediately  the  door  swung  noiselessly 
inwards,  while  from  behind  its  corner  appeared 
the  searching,  slumberous  eyes  of  a  great  nigger. 

The  nigger  was  about  to  let  Melun  pass  when  he 
saw  Westerham,  and  with  a  mighty  arm  barred 
the  way. 


56  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"All  right,  all  right,"  said  Melun,  quickly. 
"  You  don't  suppose  that  I  am  fool  enough  to  bring 
a  man  here  whom  I  cannot  trust.  Let  him  in  at 
once." 

The  negro  shuffled  back  and  allowed  Westerham 
to  squeeze  himself  into  the  narrow  passage. 

It  was  intensely  dark,  so  the  negro  lifted  the 
lantern,  the  slide  of  which  had  been  placed  hard 
against  the  wall,  and  held  it  on  a  level  with  Sir 
Paul's  head,  looking  at  him  long  and  narrowly. 

Then  he  gave  a  little  coughing  groan  and 
shambled  down  the  passage. 

At  the  end  of  the  passage  the  huge  negro  opened 
a  second  door,  which  swung  back  upon  its  hinges 
as  easily  and  as  swiftly  as  the  first.  Westerham 
passed  into  the  room,  and  with  a  little  thump  of 
his  heart  realised,  with  a  knowledge  born  of  long 
experience  of  the  Pacific  coast,  that  that  he  was  in 
an  opium  den  of  quite  unusual  dimensions. 

The  long  room  ran  parallel  with  the  front  of  the 
house,  but  must  have  been  some  thirty  feet  longer 
than  the  front  of  the  house  itself.  On  either  side 
and  at  both  ends  there  were  tiers  of  bunks.  From 
three  or  four  of  them  came  a  little  red  glow  where 
some  besotted  fool  still  sucked  at  his  pipe. 

No  pause,  however,  was  made  here.  The  negro 
crossed  the  room  and  opened  a  third  door,  which 
admitted  them  into  a  small  passage.  At  the  end 
of  this  a  fourth  door  was  opened,  and  Melun  and 
Westerham  stepped  suddenly  into  a  blaze  of  light. 

Looking  quickly  about  him,  Westerham  judged 
himself  to  be  in  a  working-man's  club.  Half  a  dozen 
men  were  playing  pool  at  a  dilapidated  table,  while 
round  about   were   little  groups  of   men  playing 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  67 

dominoes  or  cards.  Framed  notices  set  forth 
various  rules,  while  at  one  end  of  the  room 
stretched  a  bar. 

The  negro,  still  with  the  light  in  his  hand,  stood 
aside  watching  Melun  uneasily.  Westerham  was 
quick  to  observe  that  he  had  his  hand  on  his  hip- 
pocket.  And  his  smile  was  slightly  amused  and 
slightly  anxious  as  one  of  the  players  looked  up 
and  gave  a  little  cry,  his  cue  falling  from  his  hand 
and  his  hand  going  quickly  to  his  hip  also. 

But  Melun  was  first,  and  the  revolver  which  he 
had  whipped  out  covered  the  man's  breast. 

The  man's  cry  aroused  the  instant  attention  of 
the  others,  and  for  a  few  moments  there  was  what 
can  only  be  described  as  a  sort  of  hushed  hubbub. 

"  All  right,"  said  Melun  in  a  rougher  voice  than 
Westerham  had  yet  heard  him  use.  "All  right. 
Don't  get  scared.  Don't  worry.  It  is  a  new 
chum!" 

Westerham,  standing  very  straight,  stood  smil- 
ing at  the  astonished  men  before  him. 

The  negro  had  set  his  lantern  down,  and  was 
passively  leaning  with  his  back  against  the  door. 

A'  little  man  with  a  bullet-head  and  a  red  face 
got  up  from  his  seat  at  the  end  of  the  room  and 
came  forward  with  short,  quick,  jerky  steps. 

"Is  this  going  to  be  a  meeting?"  he  asked. 

Melun  nodded.  "  A  meeting,"  he  said,  "  but  not 
an  oath.  That  I  already  have  administered  in  part. 
The  new  chum  is  silent." 

"It  is  most  irregular,"  grumbled  the  man  with 
the  bullet-head. 

"  Never  you  mind,"  said  Melun  in  a  hectoring 
voice,  "  it  is  my  affair,  and  not  yours." 


58  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"It  is  our  business  that  you  bring  him  here/' 
mumbled  several  of  the  men. 

"  Don't  you  bother  about  things  which  do  not 
concern  you,"  rapped  out  Melun,  "  until  I  have  had 
my  say.  I  have  said  this  is  to  be  a  meeting,  and  I 
am  waiting  to  give  my  explanation." 

At  this  several  men  turned  and  dragged  forward 
a  long  trestle  table,  while  others  quickly  set  chairs 
about  it;  Melun  seated  himself  at  its  head,  beckon- 
ing to  Westerham  to  seat  himself  at  his  right 
hand. 

Still  smiling,  Westerham  looked  with  his  oddly 
disconcerting  gaze  along  the  row  of  faces  before 
him.  Melun,  he  reflected,  must  have  searched  Lon- 
don to  have  found  such  an  exhibition  of  evil  pas- 
sions. 

The  men  did  not  look  at  him;  they  looked  at 
Melun,  warily  and  anxiously. 

"  In  times  past,"  said  Melun,  shortly,  "  you  have 
found  it  just  as  well  to  trust  to  me.  The  shares 
of  any  spoils  we  have  won  have  always  been  fairly 
adjusted." 

For  the  most  part  the  men  nodded  assent. 

"  I  have  told  you,"  Melun  continued,  "  that  at 
the  present  time  I  have  on  hand  a  bigger  deal  than 
any  I  have  yet  attempted.  If  it  comes  off  it  will 
mean  a  cool  quarter  of  a  million." 

Westerham  drew  in  his  breath  quietly;  he  was 
learning  the  facts  indeed.  The  magnitude  of  what 
Melun  must  have  at  stake  almost  staggered  him. 
He  knew  well  enough  that  if  Melun  spoke  to  these 
men  of  a  quarter  of  a  million,  the  sum  at  which 
he  was  really  aiming  must  be  far  greater. 

"  Now,  most  of  you,"  Melun  went  on,  "  know 


-« 


(^ 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  59 

that  to  pull  off  a  thing  of  this  sort  capital  is  re- 
quired. Our  capital  has  run  low.  I  have,  however, 
been  fortunate  in  securing  the  interest  of  this  gen- 
tleman, who  is  more  than  able  to  furnish  us  with 
all  the  money  I  need  to  settle  the  deal. 

"  I  may  tell  you  that  he  is  not  new  to  our  kind 
of  work,  only  hitherto  he  has  gone  on  his  own." 

The  men  round  the  table  nodded  approval,  and 
Westerham,  while  he  marvelled  at  Melun's  audac- 
ity, flushed  a  trifle  angrily.  It  was  unpleasant  to  be 
tarred  with  the  same  brush  as  these  fellows.  But 
he  saw  that  he  must  sit  it  through. 

"  Now,  the  very  fact  that  this  gentleman  has 
taken  part  in  this  sort  of  business  before,"  Melun 
went  on  boldly,  "made  him  suspicious  of  our  good 
faith,  and  he  asked  for  an  actual  demonstration 
that  we  were  a  working  concern,  and  he  would  not 
be  satisfied  until  I  had  proved  it  to  him.  I  should, 
of  course,  have  asked  your  permission  to  bring 
him  here  first,  but  the  matter  is  most  urgent.  The 
fate  of  the  whole  thing  may  have  to  be  settled  to- 
morrow night." 

He  paused,  and  Westerham's  blood  began  to 
run  quickly  through  his  veins. 

To-morrow  night!  To-morrow  night  the  Prime 
Minister  and  Lady  Kathleen  gave  their  great  re- 
ception. 

To-morrow  night!  Sir  Paul  wondered  what 
connection  there  might  be  between  Downing  Street 
and  Limehouse.  Melun,  however,  continued  to 
speak  in  the  same  suave  tones. 

"  To-morrow,  as  I  say,"  he  declared,  "may  settle 
the  whole  affair.  Before  to-morrow  night  I  have 
to  show  this  gentleman — whose  name,  I  may  in- 


60  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

form  you,  is  James  Robinson — that  we  are  really 
in  earnest. 

"  Mr.  Robinson,"  he  cried,  turning  towards 
Westerham,  "  are  you  satisfied  ?  " 

"I  am,"  said  Westerham,  in  a  very  quiet  voice, 
allowing  himself  just  enough  of  American  drawl 
to  catch  some  of  the  quick  ears  of  his  listeners. 

"  From  the  States  ? "  asked  the  man  who  sat 
next  to  him. 

Westerham  nodded. 

Melun  gave  Westerham's  interrogator  a  look  as 
though  he  resented  any  attempt  at  conversation; 
and  to  prevent  any  further  questioning  he  rose 
abruptly  from  the  table. 

The  rest  of  the  men  remained  seated  except  the 
bullet-headed  man,  who,  as  Melum  vacated  his 
chair,  slipped  into  his  place.  They  were  apparently 
about  to  discuss  other  matters,  and  were  follow- 
ing the  ordinary  course  of  procedure. 

Seeing  Melun  rise,  the  negro,  who  all  this  time 
had  been  leaning  against  the  door,  lifted  up  his 
lantern  again  and  showed  them  out. 

They  passed  through  the  opium  den,  and  so  into 
the  little  passage,  when,  as  the  negro  was  fumbling 
at  the  door,  Westerham  heard  a  long,  piercing 
scream. 

It  came  again  louder  and  shriller  than  before. 
There  was  a  dreadful  note  of  fear  in  it.  It  was 
the  scream  of  a  terrified  girl. 


CHAPTER    VI 

DOWNING  STREET 

Westerham  whipped  round  on  his  heel  towards 
Melun. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  he  asked  sharply. 

Melun  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

From  Melun  Westerham  turned  to  the  negro, 
whose  teeth  were  bared  in  a  wide  grin. 

"What  is  that?  "  Westerham  demanded  of  him.. 

But  the  negro  took  his  cue  from  Melun  and 
merely  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

Then  there  came  the  scream  again,  louder  and 
more  terror-stricken  than  before.  Westerham  did 
not  hesitate. 

Before  the  negro  had  time  to  utter  any  protest 
he  had  snatched  the  lantern  from  his  hand  and 
was  racing  up  the  stairs. 

Again  came  the  scream,  and  Westerham  blun- 
dered up  the  second  flight,  the  negro  and  Melun 
hard  upon  his  heels. 

On  the  second  landing  there  was  no  longer  any 
doubt  as  to  where  the  cries  came  from.  Wester- 
ham dashed  at  the  door,  only  to  find  it  locked.  In 
a  second  he  had  his  shoulder  against  the  crazy 
panel,  and  the  door  went  in  with  a  crash,  disclosing 
a  frowsy  little  sitting-room  somewhat  in  disorder. 
All  about  was  spread  signs  of  a  meal.  Two  girls — 
Westerham  judged  them  to  be  young  East  End 

61 


est  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

Jewesses — were  huddled  in  a  corner,  while  a  man, 
whom  Westerham  at  once  recognised  as  a  sailor, 
stood  swaying  drunkenly  over  them. 

He  had  his  hand  at  the  man's  collar  in  a  mo- 
ment, and  swung  him  heavily  backwards. 

The  negro,  his  face  quivering  with  passion, 
blocked  the  doorway,  knife  in  hand. 

It  was  Westerham's  turn  to  use  firearms  now, 
and  he  covered  the  man  with  as  certain  and  as 
deadly  an  aim  as  that  which  had  extorted  the  con- 
fession of  Captain  Melun  on  the  Gigantic, 

The  girls  ceased  to  scream,  but  clung  together, 
crying  and  looking  at  Westerham  in  an  appealing 
way  with  eyes  blurred  with  tears. 

Melun  thrust  the  negro  aside  and  brushed  into 
the  room. 

"You  fool!"  he  said  to  Westerham,  shortly, 
"  this  is  enough  to  bring  the  whole  crowd  about 
your  ears." 

Westerham  laughed.  He  had  known  what  in 
Western  parlance  is  called  a  "  rough  house  "  be- 
fore, and  was  prepared  for  all  emergencies.  As 
usual,  too,  when  he  found  himself  in  an  emergency, 
he  was  cool  and  smiling  to  the  point  of  insolence. 

"  You  forget,"  he  said  to  Melun,  "  that  there  is 
a  window  in  this  room,  and  beyond  the  window  is 
the  street.  You  forget,  too,  that  one  good  man  is 
worth  all  that  crowd  you  seem  so  much  afraid  of. 
I  am  going  to  take  these  girls  away." 

The  drunken  sailor,  who  had  by  this  time  half- 
recovered  his  senses,  sat  on  the  floor,  blinking  at 
Westerham  and  cursing  steadily. 

Melun  took  one  quick  look  at  Westerham's  un- 
pleasantly   bright    and    steady   gaze,    and    again 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  6S 

shrugged  his  shoulders.  But  this  time  the  shrug 
indicated  assent. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said. 

Westerham  again  turned  to  the  negro.  "Drop 
that  knife,"  he  ordered. 

"  Not  me !  "  said  the  negro. 

"  Drop  it !  "  said  Westerham  again. 

And  the  man  dropped  it. 

He  turned  to  the  shivering  girls.  "  Come  along," 
he  said,  "let's  get  out  of  this  while  there  is  time." 

Rising  unsteadily  to  their  feet,  and  still  clinging 
together,  the  girls  moved  towards  the  door. 

"  Follow  me  down  closely,"  said  Westerham,  and 
then  he  thrust  the  nozzle  of  his  six-shooter  against 
the  negro's  breast. 

"Right  about,"  he  said,  "and  down  the  stairs 
before  me." 

Melun  he  ignored  altogether,  and  the  captain 
brought  up  the  rear.  In  this  wise  they  went  down 
the  stairs. 

The  hubbub,  however,  had  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  men  below,  and  two  or  three  of  them  were 
now  gathered  together  in  the  darkness  of  the  pas- 
sage, swearing  angrily. 

Westerham,  who  had  taken  the  lantern  from  the 
negro,  swung  it  aloft. 

"  Permit  me  to  show  you  a  light,"  he  cried. 

They  blinked  as  the  lantern  dazzled  their  eyes, 
but  they  did  not  blink  so  much  that  they  failed  to 
catch  the  glint  of  the  weapon  Westerham  carried. 

"  You  dog,  Melun !  "  cried  one  of  them,  "  is  this 
your  friend  that  is  to  help  us  all?  If  he  goes  on  at 
this  rate  he  will  land  us  all  in  gaol." 

Melun,  however,  by  this  time  saw  who  was  the 


64  ^HE    CRIME    CLUB 

better  man,  and  felt  that  at  the  present  pinch  he 
was  wise  to  stand  by  Westerham, 

So  he  cursed  the  men  roundly  and  ordered  them 
back,  asking  them,  with  pleasant  oaths,  how  long  it 
was  since  they  had  ceased  to  have  faith  in  him. 

To  this  altercation  Westerham  paid  no  heed.  He 
contented  himself  that  at  his  direction  the  negro 
opened  the  door.  The  girls  he  told  to  wait  for  him 
outside. 

On  the  threshold  he  turned  about  and  faced  the 
angry  men. 

"  The  sooner  you  people  come  to  recognise,"  he 
said,  "  that  while  I  am  here  I  shall  do  things  in 
my  own  way  so  much  the  better  for  you.  I  am 
not  in  the  habit  of  being  interfered  with  by  scum 
such  as  yourselves." 

He  purposely  gave  the  negro  a  push,  which  sent 
him  rolling  back  into  the  passage;  then  he  went 
out  and  drew  the  door  after  him  with  a  slam. 

Once  in  the  street,  Melun  broke  into  a  torrent 
of  rebuke.  Westerham  was  of  no  mind  to  listen 
to  him  and  cut  him  short.  Turning  to  the  girls, 
he  said: 

"  Walk  whichever  way  you  have  to  go,  and  I 
will  follow  and  see  that  you  are  not  molested." 

The  girls  would  have  hung  round  him  to  thank 
him,  but  he  ordered  them  to  walk  on  quickly,  and 
then  taking  Melun's  arm  in  the  grip  of  his  hand, 
he  followed  them  till  they  had  gained  the  main 
road. 

There  he  did  not  even  take  the  trouble  to  nod 
the  girls  good-bye,  but  bundled  Melun  into  a  tram 
running  westward. 

They  were  alone  on  the  top  of  the  car,  and  Melun 


THE     CAIME     CLUB  65 

endeavoured  to  speak  again,  but  Westerham  told 
him  roughly  to  be  silent. 

He  said  no  word,  indeed,  until  they  were  back  in 
the  hotel.  The  captain  was  beyond  protesting;  he 
appeared  dazed  and  cowed  by  the  swiftness  with 
which  Westerham  had  wrested  his  authority  from 
him  and  practically  fought  his  way  out  of  Lime- 
house. 

In  the  little  sitting-room,  Westerham  with  great 
precision  poured  out  a  couple  of  whisky-and-sodas 
and  handed  Melun  a  cigar. 

"  You  will  not  understand  me  the  better  by  sulk- 
ing or  skulking,"  he  said.  "I  would  suggest  to 
you  that  even  if  you  are  not  one  you  had  better 
try  to  be  a  man." 

Melun  winced,  and  was  about  to  reply  angrily, 
when  Westerham  again  cut  him  short. 

"  Listen  to  me,"  he  said  sharply.  "  I  realise  that 
while  I  am  associated  with  you  for  my  own  ends  I 
shall  have  to  close  my  eyes  to  a  great  many  matters 
not  exactly  permitted  by  the  law  of  this  country. 
That  contingency,  however,  I  was  from  the  first 
prepared  to  face.  There  are,  however,  certain 
things  which  you  had  better  at  once  understand  I 
do  not  permit." 

"  You  do  not  permit ! "  Melun  almost  yelled. 

"  That  I  do  not  permit,"  repeated  Westerham, 
coldly.  "And  one  of  them  is  such  a  scene  as  I 
have  witnessed  to-night." 

His  sea-green  eyes  were  now  blazing,  and  his 
mouth  was  shut  like  a  trap. 

"  I  have  been  introduced  as  your  friend,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  and  therefore  I  propose  to  visit  Lime- 
house  whensoever  I  choose." 


66  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  But  you  cannot,"  cried  Melun. 

"Oh,  yes,  my  dear  man,  but  I  can,  and,  what  is 
more,  I  mean  to.  You  had  better  leave  that  to  me. 
I  already  see  that  I  am  more  qualified  to  deal  with 
those  ruffians  down  yonder  than  you  are.  I  am  not 
the  least  alarmed  by  their  blustering,  however  much 
you  may  be. 

"  And  so,"  he  went  on,  "  I  would  have  you  un- 
derstand clearly  and  without  any  mistake  that  I 
will  have  no  women  fetched  into  that  den  of  in- 
iquity on  any  pretext  whatsoever.  You  understand 
me?" 

Melun  nodded  feebly.  He  was  completely  crushed 
and  beaten. 

"  Henceforward,  too,"  Westerham  continued,  *'  I 
am  going  to  adopt  a  different  attitude  towards  you. 
Once,  I  confess,  I  had  a  few  uneasy  feelings  that, 
with  what  you  are  pleased  to  call  your  *  endless 
resources,'  you  might  do  me  some  injury.  A  good 
many  people  disappear  in  London,  and  I  fancied 
for  a  little  while  I  might  become  one  of  the  lost 
ones,  but,  heavens!  it  is  amazing  to  think  that  I 
should  ever  have  felt  the  least  disquiet.  You  and 
your  precious  friends  are  cowards,  every  one  of 
you. 

"  However,  we  will  leave  that  subject  now  and 
proceed  to  another  which  is  of  more  importance 
and  interest  to  me." 

Draining  his  whisky-and-soda,  Westerham  leaned 
back  in  his  chair  and  smoked  thoughtfully  for  a 
few  minutes,  keeping  his  gaze  on  the  pale  and 
cowering  Melun. 

Then  he  reached  out  for  the  newspaper,  in  which 
during  the  afternoon  he  had  read  that  the  Prime 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  67 

Minister  was  to  give  a  reception  on  the  morrow. 
Folding  it  carefully  so  as  to  mark  the  place,  Wes- 
terham  laid  the  paper  down  beside  Melun  and 
tapped  the  all-important  paragraph  with  a  quick, 
incisive  finger. 

"  I  would  recall  to  your  mind,"  he  said  to  the 
captain,  "that  I  explained  to  you  on  the  Gigantic 
that  my  sole  object  in  returning  to  London  was  to 
make  the  acquaintance  of  the  girl  in  the  picture — 
the  girl  you  informed  me  was  the  Lady  Kathleen 
Carfax.  Now  I  find  you,  even  on  this  short  ac- 
quaintance, such  a  braggart  that  I  am  inclined  to 
doubt  everything  you  say.  So  I  am  going  to  test 
your  boast  that  you  know  Lady  Kathleen,  and  that 
you  have  the  entree  to  Lord  Penshurst's  house.  Did 
you  lie  to  me  on  that  matter  or  did  you  not?  " 

"  I  did  not,"  said  Melun,  with  some  signs  of  re- 
turning spirit. 

In  his  excitement  he  would  indeed  have  leapt 
from  his  chair,  but  Westerham  gave  him  a  little 
push  in  the  chest  which  sat  him  down  again. 

"  Not  so  fast,"  he  said,  "  you  are  here  to  listen 
to  what  I  have  to  say. 

"  You  tell  me,"  he  continued,  after  a  slight 
pause,  "that  what  you  said  was  true.  In  that  case 
I  demand  as  part  of  our  bargain  that  you  should 
take  me  to  Lord  Penshurst's  to-morrow  night." 

Melun  became  livid.  "  I  will  never  do  it,"  he 
cried. 

"  You  will  not  ? "  inquired  Westerham  with  a 
little  laugh.  "  Surely  it  was  part  of  our  agreement 
that  you  should  introduce  me  to  all  your  friends. 
If  you  fail  to  keep  that  agreement,  then  I  shall  fail 
to  keep  mine;  and  I  fancy  that  some  of  the  au- 


68  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

thorities  will  be  extremely  interested  in  what  I 
shall  be  able  to  tell  them." 

Melun  looked  helplessly  and  almost  pleadingly 
at  Westerham.  "  But  what  you  ask  now,"  he  com- 
plained, "is  quite  impossible." 

"Why?" 

Melun  mumbled,  and  Westerham's  quick  mind 
instinctively  found  the  right  reason  for  the  cap- 
tain's distress.  He  debated  whether  he  should 
mention  the  Hyde  Park  affair  of  the  night  before. 
Had  Bagley  told  him?  He  was  doubtful.  And  if 
Bagley  had  not  told  then  the  revelation  might  be 
awkward.  He  had  no  wish  to  drive  Melun  so  hard 
that  he  would  turn  and  become  obstinately  intract- 
able. 

Moreover,  if  he  said  anything  then  he  would 
certainly  never  discover  from  Melun  what  hold  he 
had  upon  Lady  Kathleen  and  her  father.  It  would 
be  better,  he  reflected,  to  smooth  matters  over  and 
let  events  take  their  own  course.  In  following  his 
method,  he  felt  assured  the  opportunity  of  fathom- 
ing the  mystery  must  inevitably  come  to  him. 

So  when  he  spoke  next  to  Melun  it  was  a  little 
less  curtly.  "  You  will  hardly  deny,"  he  said,  "  that 
your  presence  in  Lord  Penshurst's  house  must  be 
unwelcome.  Do  you  hesitate  to  take  me  there  be- 
cause you  think  that  in  so  doing  I  might  possibly 
be  tarred  with  the  same  brush  as  yourself?" 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Melun,  savagely, 
and  there  crept  into  his  eyes  an  embarrassed,  even 
a  hunted  look. 

"  I  meant  nothing  at  all  except  that,  in  spite  of 
everything,  you  must  make  it  convenient  to  have 
me  included  among  the  guests." 


Melun  appeared  to  think  deeply  for  a  few  mo- 
ments and  then  nodded  acquiescence.  "  Very 
well,"  he  said  grumpily,  and  closed  the  matter  for 
that  night. 

On  the  following  evening  Melun  arrived  at  the 
Walter's  Hotel  sleek  and  smiling.  His  face  was 
as  smooth  as  his  shirt-front,  and  his  manner  as 
pleasant  as  the  cut  of  his  coat. 

Westerham  met  him  in  the  hall  and  nodded  to 
him  with  an  almost  friendly  smile.  Presently  they 
drove  down  to  Downing  Street. 

When  Lady  Kathleen  had  entered  into  posses- 
sion of  No.  lo  as  hostess  she  had  turned  the 
rather  dowdy  old  house  upside  down,  and  deco- 
rators and  upholsterers  had  done  all  they  could  to 
make  the  old-fashioned  building  pleasant  and 
graceful. 

It  was  now  about  half -past  ten,  and  the  crush 
was  very  great.  The  Prime  Minister,  handsome 
and  white-bearded,  stood  apart  with  Lady  Kath- 
leen to  receive  the  guests. 

As  Melun  pressed  forward  his  gaze  darted  in  all 
directions  as  though  in  the  endeavour  to  find  the 
eyes  of  friends  or  at  least  acquaintances.  And 
many  men  nodded  to  him  and  many  women  smiled 
on  him. 

Though  he  had  been  away  from  England  so 
long,  all  Westerham's  knowledge  of  great  social 
events  came  back  to  him,  and  he  followed  Melun 
easily  and  unembarrassed  by  the  scores  of  eyes 
which  looked  at  him  with  questioning  and  admi- 
ration. 

For  his  Immense  height  alone  attracted  atten- 
tion, while  wherever  his  strange,  bright,  sea-green 


•yO  Tttii    CRIME    cttrfi 

glance  fell  there  was  left  behind  a  little  recollection 
which  would  never  be  quite  effaced. 

As  he  skilfully  edged  his  way  nearer  to  the 
Prime  Minister,  Westerham  suffered  a  little  pang 
of  remorse.  It  occurred  to  him  that  he  was  taking 
Lady  Kathleen  at  a  somewhat  unfair  advantage. 
He  had  even  half  a  mind  to  draw  back,  fearing  lest 
his  unlooked-for  appearance  might  cause  her  an 
embarrassment  which  might  become  obvious  to  all 
beholders,  but  he  reflected  that  a  girl  who  had  dis- 
played such  courage  and  such  coolness  was  more 
than  likely  to  be  equal  to  the  occasion.  None  the 
less,  he  endeavoured,  so  far  as  he  could,  to  soften 
the  shock  of  their  meeting,  and  to  this  end  he 
looked  over  the  heads  and  shoulders  of  the  tightly- 
packed  people  before  him,  seeking  Lady  Kathleen's 
eyes. 

Suddenly  her  wandering  glance  met  his  fixed 
one,  and  for  a  second  Westerham's  heart  softened 
within  him  as  he  saw  her  pupils  momentarily  shrink 
and  then  dilate  as  though  with  terror.  But  the 
contraction  and  dilation  of  her  pupils  were  so  swift 
that  no  one  but  an  expectant  observer  would  have 
noted  the  change.  Her  face  paled  a  little  and  then 
flushed,  and  Westerham,  from  the  long-continued 
habit  of  studying  people's  emotions,  realised  with 
distress  that  it  was  the  flush  of  fear  rather  than 
the  flush  of  confusion. 

By  this  time  Melun  had  won  his  way  to  the 
Prime  Minister's  hand,  and  Westerham  followed 
him  closely.  Lord  Penshurst  lifted  his  shrewd  old 
eyes  to  Westerham's  face  with  a  long,  searching 
gaze.  And  over  his  face  there  swept  a  sudden 
change  of  expression.     As  Melun  had  whispered 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  71 

his  name  the  old  man's  face  had  taken  a  hard  and 
almost  dogged  look,  but  instantly  it  softened,  and 
he  looked  at  Westerham  long  with  something  akin 
to  wondering  pity  in  his  eyes. 

Westerham  smiled  back  frankly,  laughing  a  little 
to  himself  at  the  change  in  the  Prime  Minister's 
expression.  He  was  quick  to  see  that  Lord  Pens- 
hurst  had  evidently  regarded  him  at  first  as  an 
enemy,  as  a  man  to  be  avoided,  as  a  man  introduced 
by  Melun  for  some  sinister  motive.  Then  suddenly, 
from  the  very  honesty  and  openness  of  Wester- 
ham's  face,  the  Premier  had  changed  about  to  the 
opinion  that  he  was  Melun's  dupe — that  he  was  a 
new  pigeon  fit  for  the  captain's  plucking.  For 
Westerham  by  this  time  had  not  a  shadow  of  a 
doubt  that  Lord  Penshurst  was  only  too  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  extent  of  Melun's  evil  doings. 

With  Lady  Kathleen,  however,  things  were 
otherwise.  Westerham  had  noted  that  to  the  other 
man  she  had  merely  bowed,  but  to  him  she  held 
out  her  hand,  and  for  a  second  grasped  his  warmly. 

The  all-observant  Prime  Minister  glanced  side- 
wise  at  his  daughter,  and  his  mobile  face  changed 
again  in  its  expression  to  one  of  astonishment. 
Westerham  saw  the  dry  old  lips  tighten  in  the  white 
beard,  and  was  somewhat  taken  aback.  He  guessed, 
and  guessed  rightly  enough,  that  Lady  Kathleen 
had  not  told  him  of  her  effort  to  save  her  father's 
honour. 

So  great  was  the  crush  that  Westerham  had  no 
time  to  say  any  word  to  Lady  Kathleen — at  least 
not  then.  But  as  he  moved  away  he  was  conscious 
that  the  dark,  shining  e^es  fgllpw^d  him  with  a 
little  look  of  appeal, 


W  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

He  was  so  certain  of  this  that  he  turned  his 
head  about  and  found  his  instinct  true;  so  he  nod- 
ded back  with  a  Httle  friendly  smile  as  though  he 
had  known  her  for  many  years.  It  was  a  smile 
which  seemed  to  say,  "Very  well,  I  will  see  you 
by-and-by." 

Melun  intercepted  the  smile  and  scowled,  and 
almost  immediately  moved  back  in  a  further  en- 
deavour to  gain  Lady  Kathleen's  side. 

Westerham  wandered  aimlessly  to  a  doorway, 
and  there,  following  the  immemorial  privilege  of 
bored  young  men  at  a  dance  or  a  crush,  leant 
against  the  lintel  and  surveyed  the  scene  before 
him  with  slightly  tolerant  amusement. 

In  half  an  hour  or  so  the  people  had  thinned  a 
little ;  all  the  guests  had  made  their  bows,  and  some 
of  them  had  even  taken  their  departure. 

It  was  then  that  Westerham  noticed  Lady  Kath- 
leen and  the  Prime  Minister  standing  a  little  apart 
conversing  earnestly  in  whispers,  and  at  the  same 
time  doing  their  best  not  to  attract  attention. 

From  the  corner  of  his  eye  Westerham  saw 
Lady  Kathleen  flush  once  or  twice  and  was  con- 
scious that  the  Prime  Minister  stabbed  him  two  or 
three  times  with  his  shrewd  old  eyes. 

Then  Melun  sauntered  up  to  them,  and  -suc- 
ceeded in  detaching  Lady  Kathleen  from  her 
father.  They  moved  away  together,  and  Wester- 
ham wondered  what  ill-begotten  scheme  Melun 
was  furthering  now.  For  another  ten  minutes, 
therefore,  he  hung  idly  in  the  doorway  till  he  saw 
Melun  come  back  alone  and  take  the  Prime  Min- 
ister on  one  side.  They  were  conversing  rapidly, 
and  Westerham  could  plainly  see  that  Lord  Pens- 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  73 

hurst  was  by  no  means  pleased.  There  was,  in- 
deed, on  his  face  an  expression  of  cold  rage  such 
as  Westerham  had  never  seen  on  any  man's  face 
before.  Melun,  too,  appeared  a  trifle  disconcerted, 
and  this  was  a  joy  to  Westerham,  for  he  was  right 
in  supposing  that  Melun  had  hoped  to  see  fear 
rather  than  anger  in  Lord  Penshurst's  face. 

Westerham  was,  however,  not  so  interested  in 
this  conversation  as  he  was  in  the  finding  of  Lady 
Kathleen,  so  he  moved  across  the  room  and  through 
the  doorway  in  search  of  the  Premier's  daughter. 

The  room  beyond  was  crowded,  and  Westerham 
passed  on  to  a  third  room  in  which  there  were 
fewer  people.  Still  he  could  discern  no  signs  of 
Lady  Kathleen. 

But  just  ahead  of  him  he  saw  the  dark  entrance 
to  what  apparently  was  a  landing.  He  moved 
to\Yards  this,  and  found  himself  suddenly  face  to 
face  with  her.  She  was  sitting  almost  huddled  up 
in  a  little  chair  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase. 

As  she  saw  him  approach  she  lifted  up  both  her 
hands  as  though  to  thrust  him  away,  and  her  face 
from  deadly  white  flushed  to  a  bright  crimson. 

"  No,  no ! "  she  cried  in  a  low  tone,  "  let  matters 
rest  as  they  are.  I  shook  hands  with  you  just  now, 
but  I  did  not  know  that  you  had  come — with  that 
man." 

"You  think  he  is  my  friend?"  asked  Wester- 
ham, gently. 

"How  can  I  doubt  it?"  asked  Lady  Kathleen. 

"  Well,"  said  Westerham,  with  a  quiet  little 
laugh,  "  I  admit  that  he  appears  to  be,  but  that  is 
to  suit  my  purpose  and  to  gain  my  own  ends." 

"  I  thought  so,"  she  murmured. 


74i  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"Yes,  yes,"  replied  Westerham,  quickly,  "but 
don't  misunderstand  me — my  ends  may  be  selfish, 
but  they  are  not  criminal." 

Lady  Kathleen  started  violently. 

Westerham  glanced  about  him  to  see  that  they 
were  unobserved;  he  found  that  they  were  quite 
alone. 

"  I  must  speak  quickly,"  he  said,  "  as  I  know  it  is 
impossible  for  you  to  stay  here  long,  but  please 
hear  me  out. 

"  That  night,"  he  nodded  in  the  direction  of  the 
Park,  "  I  knew  nothing.  I  do  not  know  very  much 
now,  except  that  I  have  discovered  a  connecting 
link  between  Bagley  and  Melun.  Why  they  perse- 
cute you  and  your  father  I  do  not  know;  I  wish  I 
did,  for  I  would  then,  perhaps,  be  able  to  help  you. 
These  men  are  knaves  and  cowards,  and  they  are 
also  fools.  I  do  not  want  to  boast,  but  one  good 
man  could  easily  defeat  them.  Why  not  tell  me 
what  troubles  you?" 

Lady  Kathleen  looked  at  him  appealingly  and 
doubtfully,  then  she  rose  to  her  feet. 

"  I  must  not.  I  do  not  know  who  you  are,  or 
even  what  your  name  is,  and  although  you  seem 
to  be  Melun's  friend,  I  feel  that  I  might  trust  you ; 
but,  oh!  if  you  were  persecuted  as  we  are  perse- 
cuted you  would  trust  no  man." 

Westerham  was  about  to  persuade  her  further, 
but  at  this  moment  her  father  came  quickly  through 
the  doorway. 

"Kathleen!"  he  cried. 

The  girl  started  up  and  caught  her  father's  arm. 
The  old  man  turned  quickly  towards  Westerham; 
his  face  was  ablaze  with  passion. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  75 

"  As  for  you,  sir,"  he  cried  in  a  low  voice,  "  leave 
my  house,  leave  my  house  at  once." 

Westerham  threw  out  a  deprecating  hand. 

"If  you  will  only  hear  me,  Lord  Penshurst." 

**  I  have  told  that  scoundrel  Melun  that  I  will 
have  no  further  dealing  with  him  or  any  of  his 
crew." 

"  But  I — "  urged  Westerham. 

**  Be  silent,"  cried  the  Prime  Minister  in  a  voice 
of  suppressed  fury.  "  Do  you  think  that  you  have 
not  heaped  sufficient  dishonour  on  my  head  al- 
ready? But  there  is  a  point  beyond  which  you 
shall  not  go.  I  will  not  have  my  house  and  my 
daughter  degraded  in  this  way." 

It  took  all  Westerham's  self-control  to  master 
himself  now.  It  cut  him  like  a  whip  to  feel  him- 
self regarded  as  of  the  same  breed  as  Melun.  But 
he  saw  it  would  be  utterly  useless  and  would  only 
provoke  a  scene  to  argue  with  the  bitter  old  man. 
So,  making  a  formal  little  bow  to  Lady  Kathleen, 
he  left  them. 


CHAPTER  VII 
LADY  Kathleen's  doubts 

In  the  outer  room  he  found  Melun;  he  took  him 
by  the  arm  and  said  very  quickly,  "  Come  along, 
I  want  to  speak  to  you." 

Melun  gave  him  one  almost  quizzical  look  and 
accompanied  him  without  speaking. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  found  it  rather  awkward 
to  say  anything  at  all,  and  did  not  attempt  to  break 
the  silence  in  which  Westerham  drove  back  to  the 
hotel. 

Westerham  himself  was  baffled,  and  yet  he  had 
ascertained  one  thing  which  was  likely  to  be  of 
infinite  use  to  him.  He  had  discovered  that  there 
was,  without  doubt,  a  definite  connection  between 
the  game  which  Melun  was  playing  and  Bagley's 
attempt  to  steal  Lady  Kathleen's  diamonds. 

That  was  sufficient  for  the  night. 

Still  his  impatience,  or  perhaps  one  had  better 
say  his  desire,  to  get  at  the  actual  facts  prompted 
him  to  take  Melun  into  Walter's  Hotel  and  subject 
him  to  a  close  cross-examination. 

Melun,  however,  had  recovered  from  his  pertur- 
bation of  the  night  before,  and,  moreover,  was  ap- 
parently intoxicated  by  the  effect  of  rubbing 
shoulders  with  the  great  ones  of  the  earth  at  the 
I  Prime  Minister's  reception.  Therefore  he  was  in 
a  far  less  tractable  frame  of  mind  than  was  pleas- 
ant to  Westerham.  The  captain,  indeed,  had  got 
back   that   self-possession   and    cool   audacity   of 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  77 

which  he  had  made  such  good  use  on  the  Gigantic. 
Westerham  reaHsed  this  at  once,  and  at  the  out- 
set dealt  very  gently  with  Melun. 

"Don't  you  think,"  he  began  softly,  "that  you 
had  better  make  a  clean  breast  of  it?  " 

"  Not  at  all,"  answered  Melun.  "  I  have  no  de- 
sire to  shock  you,  and  a  man  who  is  disturbed  by 
the  yelling  of  a  couple  of  girls  is  not  likely  to  take 
what  I  might  tell  him  in  a  particularly  cool  man- 
ner." 

Westerham's  bright,  sea-green  eyes  hardened. 

"  I  have  told  you,"  he  said  in  a  more  menacing 
tone,  "that  if  you  want  to  indulge  in  villainy  you 
have  got  to  keep  women  out  of  it.  Now,  what- 
ever your  scheme  may  be,  it  cannot  be  of  very 
particular  magnitude  unless  it  has  to  do  with  the 
Premier.  I  fail  to  see  where  Lady  Kathleen  comes 
into  the  matter  at  all." 

"  Perhaps  you  do,"  Melun  answered,  "  but  then 
you  are  unacquainted  with  the  details,  and  I  don't 
propose  to  enlighten  you.  I  agreed  to  betray  the 
secrets  of  the  prison  house,  or  rather  to  let  you  see 
how  my  friends  work,  but  I  did  not  agree  to  tell 
you  of  every  piece  of  business  in  which  I  was 
engaged." 

"  On  this  occasion,  I  fancy,"  said  Westerham, 
"you  will  find  it  convenient  to  unburden  your 
mind." 

But  Captain  Melun  only  laughed.  "  Not  so,"  he 
said. 

Westerham  was  as  near  to  exasperation  as  he 
ever  allowed  himself  to  get. 

"I  don't  want  to  coerce  you,"  he  remarked 
grimly. 


78  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"You  had  better  not  try,"  Melun  answered. 
"  There  is  one  thing  which  apparently  you  have  not 
taken  into  your  calculations.  You  forget  that  Lord 
Penshurst — I  admit  that  your  suspicions  of  a  tie 
between  us  are  correct — is  quite  as  much  interested 
in  keeping  me  silent  as  I  am  in  keeping  silent  my- 
self." 

Westerham  had  foreseen  this  point,  and  was  pre- 
pared with  an  answer. 

"  You  forget,"  he  said,  "  that  it  might  suit  my 
convenience  to  become  Lord  Penshurst's  friend." 

"  Have  a  care,"  cried  Melun,  angrily ;  "  you  don't 
know  what  you  say." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  demanded  Westerham. 

"  I  mean,"  said  Melun,  softly,  "  that  I  can  strike 
back  where  it  will  hit  you  most." 

Instinctively  Westerham  clenched  his  hands. 

"  Possibly,"  he  said,  "  but  you  cannot  blackmail 
me,  and  though  since  I  met  you  first  I  knew  you 
were  a  blackmailer,  I  did  not  know  you  aimed  so 
high  as  to  blackmail  the  Prime  Minister." 

He  paused  for  a  few  moments  before  he  spoke 
again;  when  he  did  his  voice  was  even  and  low; 
but  Melun  did  not  like  the  ring  in  it. 

"  In  fact,"  Westerham  resumed,  "  I  have  seen 
enough  to  convince  me  that  what  you  are  after 
must  be  very  big  game  indeed.  What  it  is,  of 
course,  I  do  not  know,  and  it  would  simply  be 
idle  on  my  part  to  pretend  that  I  did.  But  I  have 
the  capacity  of  being  infinitely  patient,  and  sooner 
or  later  I  shall  find  out.  I  will  not  press  you  be- 
cause I  think  that  I  should  simply  land  myself  into 
difficulties,  which  would  make  matters  harder  than 
they  are." 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  79 

He  rose  and  walked  over  to  the  door,  and  held 
it  open.  "  For  the  present,"  he  said,  "  you  may 
go,  but  if  I  were  you  I  would  not  fail  to  appear 
when  you  are  sent  for." 

Melun  took  up  his  hat  and  stick  and  laughed 
lightly. 

"  It  suits  me  very  well,"  he  said,  "to  come  when 
I  am  bid,  but  possibly  you  may  not  find  me  quite 
so  pliant  in  the  future.     Good-night !  " 

Going  straight  up  to  his  room,  Westerham  slept 
like  a  child  till  about  six  o'clock.  He  preferred  to 
do  his  clear  thinking  in  the  early  morning.  Now 
he  thought  long  and  hard  for  two  hours.  He  argued 
the  matter  out  with  himself  in  all  its  respects,  and 
though  he  had  determined  not  to  take  a  bold  course 
with  Melun  on  the  previous  night,  he  was  now  con- 
vinced that  the  only  way  was  to  take  a  bold  course 
with  Lady  Kathleen. 

He  had  not  seen  Dunton  among  the  guests  at  the 
reception,  but,  of  course,  there  could  be  no  doubt 
that  Lady  Kathleen  was  well  acquainted  with  that 
entirely  charming  and  honest,  if  somewhat  vacuous, 
young  peer. 

It  was  therefore  with  the  intention  of  revealing 
his  identity  to  Lady  Kathleen  and  explaining  the 
whole  position  to  her  that  about  noon  he  made  his 
way  down  Whitehall  and  rang  the  queer  little  bell 
of  No.  lo  Downing  Street. 

As  he  waited  on  the  door-step,  however,  he  was 
a  little  disconcerted  to  observe  that  the  blinds  were 
drawn  down,  and  immediately  the  door  was  opened 
he  instinctively  knew  that  the  house  was,  for  his 
purpose  at  least,  empty. 

None  the  less,  he  asked  for  Lady  Kathleen,  only 


80  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

to  be  met  with  the  grave  reply  that  her  ladyship 
had  left  that  morning  by  motor  car  for  Trant  Hall, 
in  Hertfordshire. 

Without  any  display  of  discomposure  Westerham 
nodded  the  man  his  thanks  for  the  information  and 
retraced  his  steps  to  the  hotel.  The  departure  of 
Lady  Kathleen  to  some  slight  extent  unsettled  his 
mind.  He  reflected  that  perhaps  he  had  been  a 
little  too  hasty  in  his  decision  to  tell  her  every- 
thing. 

There  was  the  possibility  that  she  would  dis- 
believe him,  and  the  possibility,  moreover,  that  she 
would  tell  her  father;  and  if  she  told  her  father 
there  was  the  further  possibility  that  the  Premier 
would  be  adamant  in  his  refusal  to  disclose  his 
troubles.  And  in  that  case  he  would  be  absolutely 
baulked.  Westerham  was  a  keen  judge  of  character, 
and  he  saw  that  if  her  father  refused  to  speak 
Lady  Kathleen  would  refuse  to  speak  too. 

Then  indeed  he  would  be  in  a  quandary,  for  he 
would  be  entirely  cut  off  from  those  whom  he 
wished  to  befriend,  even  if  he  did  not  excite  their 
active  hostility. 

Upon  these  reflections  he  instantly  decided  to 
alter  his  mind,  comforting  himself  on  this  score 
with  the  dictum  that  it  is  only  the  dead  who  never 
change. 

But  though  he  decided  to  withhold  his  identity, 
he  was  resolved  to  make  one  last  effort  to  induce 
Lady  Kathleen  to  confide  in  him. 

With  this  idea  he  turned  back,  not  to  his  hotel, 
but  to  his  rooms  in  Bruton  Street,  from  which  he 
had  been  absent  for  so  long  without  explanation. 

There  he  was  met  on  the  threshold  by  the  en- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  81 

tirely  immaculate  and  discreet  servant  with  whom 
the  youthful,  but  worldly-wise,  Lord  Dunton  had 
provided  him. 

The  man's  eyes  revealed  nothing.  He  merely 
bowed  and  waited,  with  that  urbane  silence  which 
characterises  the  best  kind  of  English  servant. 

The  man's  face,  indeed,  expressed  no  surprise 
even  at  the  rather  shabby  clothes  which  Westerham 
was  wearing,  though  Westerham  himself  knew 
well  enough  that  he  must  have  remarked  them. 

"  While  I  am  getting  into  other  things,"  he  said, 
"  you  had  better  telephone  round  for  my  car." 

The  man  bowed.  It  was  the  first  time  that  his 
extraordinary  new  master  had  thought  of  using  the 
very  magnificent  motor  car  which  he  had  casually 
bought  in  the  course  of  an  afternoon's  walk.  In 
about  twenty  minutes  Westerham  came  out  of  his 
room  again,  looking,  if  not  altogether  a  dififerent 
man,  at  least  a  better-dressed  one. 

Westerham  was  conscious  that  his  servant  sur- 
veyed him  with  approval  as  he  offered  him  lunch. 
He  accepted  it,  as  he  was  hungry;  moreover,  he 
knew  that  he  could  reach  Trant  Hall  well  within 
two  hours,  and  he  had  no  desire  to  arrive  too  soon. 
The  chauffeur,  also  supplied  by  Lord  Dunton,  was 
the  same  manner  of  man  as  his  valet.  Westerham 
appreciated  the  fact,  but  was  not  as  thankful  as  he 
became  later,  when  he  discovered  that  a  silent  and 
discreet  and  civil  chauffeur  was  a  distinctly  un- 
common type  of  human  being. 

Having  made  up  his  mind  as  to  his  immediate 
course  of  action,  Westerham  thought  no  more  about 
the  matter.  It  was  not  his  habit  to  think  what  he 
should  say  when  he  met  a  certain  man  or  a  certain 


82  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

woman.  He  believed  in  the  inspiration  of  the  mo- 
ment; and  his  inspiration  was  seldom  wrong. 

About  four  o'clock  the  chauffeur  informed  him 
that  they  were  nearing  Trant  Hall,  and  then  it  oc- 
curred to  Westerham  that  it  might  possibly  be 
unwise  to  make  too  bold  an  entry  into  the  grounds. 
In  consequence  he  stopped  at  the  lodge  and  inquired 
for  Lady  Kathleen. 

Her  ladyship,  he  was  told,  had  not  many  minutes 
before  called  there  herself.  She  was  believed  to  be 
now  on  her  way  to  the  deer  park.  Having  asked 
where  this  lay,  Westerham  got  out  of  the  car  and 
proceeded  on  foot  down  the  leafy  avenue.  At  the 
end  of  the  avenue  there  was  a  high  wall,  in  which 
there  was  a  break.  A  flight  of  stone  steps  led  up 
to  the  break,  and  these  he  climbed. 

On  the  top  he  paused,  being  struck  by  the  re- 
markable beauty  of  the  scene.  For  from  the  wall 
the  green  turf  sloped  downwards,  while  before  him 
and  on  either  side  stretched  a  magnificent  forest  of 
giant  beech  trees. 

He  had  taken  the  precaution  to  inquire  whether 
it  were  possible  for  Lady  Kathleen  to  return  from 
the  deer  park  by  any  other  route,  and  had  received 
an  answer  in  the  negative.  Therefore  he  decided 
it  would  be  waste  of  time  for  him  to  go  in  search 
of  her,  seeing  that  she  must  come  back  by  the  same 
way. 

Meanwhile  he  sat  down  on  the  top  of  the  steps, 
and,  lighting  a  cigarette,  gave  himself  over  to 
patient  waiting. 

Some  thirty  minutes  passed  before  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  a  moving  figure  amid  some  distant  trees. 
The  figure  grew  in  size  and  in  distinctness  of  out- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  83 

line,  and  then  he  saw  Lady  Kathleen  coming  slowly 
towards  him. 

Her  face  was  bent  on  the  ground,  and  her  whole 
figure  seemed  for  the  moment  old  and  bowed.  Her 
appearance,  indeed,  gave  him  a  little  pang  of  sor- 
row. 

He  realised  that  when  she  saw  him  she  must 
suffer  some  slight  shock.  That,  however,  was  in- 
evitable, and  so  he  sat  waiting  for  her  to  raise  her 
head. 

Presently,  as  she  came  nearer  the  wall,  she  lifted 
up  her  eyes,  and  a  little  cry  escaped  her  lips  as  she 
saw  Westerham  sitting  there.  She  stopped  dead 
in  her  walk  and  stood  still,  holding  her  hand  against 
her  heart. 

Westerham  knew  that  she  mjiist  have  time  to  re- 
cover before  he  spoke,  so  he  merely  removed  his 
hat  and,  moving  forward,  stood  bareheaded  before 
her. 

A  little  of  her  old  spirit  came  back  to  her  as 
she  looked  up  at  him.  There  was  almost  a  glimmer 
of  amusement  in  her  eyes,  but  whatever  humour 
she  might  have  felt  at  his  appearance  was  drowned 
in  her  obvious  anxiety.  She  might  well  have  been 
angry  with  him,  but  she  kept  her  sad  composure. 

*'  Do  you  think,"  she  asked,  with  an  appealing 
gesture  of  her  hands,  "it  is  quite  fair  to  torment 
me  in  this  way  ?  " 

"You  would  not  ask  me  that,"  said  Westerham, 
"  if  you  did  believe  me  to  be  an  honest  man."- 

She  passed  her  hand  rather  wearily  across  her 
forehead. 

"  I  hardly  know,"  she  said  in  a  slightly  shaky 
voice,  "exactly  what  to  think." 


84  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

She  lifted  her  eyes  again  to  his  as  though  to 
search  him  through  and  through. 

"  At  any  rate,"  asked  Westerham,  with  a 
smile,  "  have  you  a  sufficiently  good  opinion  of 
me  to  grant  me  just  a  few  moments  to  say  some- 
thing?" 

"  It  seems  I  cannot  help  myself,"  she  said,  with 
a  pained  little  laugh. 

"  Lady  Kathleen,"  he  answered  earnestly,  "  you 
are  very  much  upset.  I  assure  you  that  if  you  will 
only  hear  me  out  you  will  not  regret  it — at  least 
you  may  rest  assured  that  you  will  be  free  from 
any  insult  or  annoyance. 

"It  will  take  me  some  few  minutes  to  explain," 
he  went  on,  "  and  so  I  think  it  would  be  best  for 
you  to  sit  down." 

Without  waiting  for  an  answer  he  took  her  by 
the  hand  and  led  her  gently  to  the  steps.  She  sank 
down  on  them  with  a  heavy  sigh. 

"  The  other  night,"  said  Westerham,  "  I  was 
sufficiently  honest  to  save  you  from  an  awkward 
situation." 

Lady  Kathleen  was  about  to  speak,  but  he  would 
not  allow  it. 

"  No,  no ! "  he  urged,  "  I  did  not  mention  it  to 
be  thanked  again.  I  have  been  more  than  thanked 
already.  I  only  did  what  any  ordinary  decent  man 
would  do.  I  have  no  desire  to  dwell  on  that.  In- 
deed, I  simply  mentioned  it  in  order  that  I  might 
convince  you  that  I  wish  you  well." 

"  But  you  knew  that  man,"  she  cried ;  "  you 
must  have  known  him." 

Westerham  stared  at  Lady  Kathleen  with  some 
astonishment. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  85 

"  I  give  you  my  word  that  I  did  not  know  him 
then,"  he  said,  "even  if  I  know  him  now." 

"  Ah!  "  she  darted  a  look  of  suspicion  at  him. 

"Yes,  I  know  Bagley,  and  I  know  Melun,  and  I 
know  a  man  called  Crow." 

Lady  Kathleen's  face  blanched. 

"  And  what  else  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  threw  out  his  arms.  "Nothing!  I  swear  to 
you  I  know  absolutely  nothing  else,  except — and 
that,  of  course,  is  obvious — that  you  and  your 
father  go  in  deadly  fear  of  all  the  three.  Why,  I 
cannot  tell.  If  you  will  only  enlighten  me  a  little  I 
may  do  much  to  help  you." 

"No,  no!"  she  cried,  "it  is  simply  out  of  the 
question.  The  secret  is  not  mine,  but  my  father's." 

"  Then  let  me  go  to  Lord  Penshurst,"  urged 
Westerham. 

The  girl  started  and  thought  for  a  few  minutes 
before  she  answered.  "  No,"  she  said  at  last, 
slowly,  "  you  must  not  do  that.  He  would  not 
understand." 

"  You  mean,"  said  Westerham,  "  he  would 
merely  regard  me  as  one  who  might  be  termed  *  one 
of  the  gang.'  " 

The  girl  nodded. 

"  But  I  assure  you,"  Westerham  laughed,  "  that 
I  am  not." 

To  his  surprise  the  girl  looked  him  straight  in 
the  face.     "  I  wish  I  felt  quite  sure,"  she  said. 

Westerham  flushed  with  almost  a  flush  of  anger. 

"  This,"  he  cried,  "  is  an  intolerable  situation. 
If  you  would  only  confide  in  me  I  would  confide 
in  you. 

"  I  am  not  what  I  seem.     I  am  no  mere  man- 


86  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

about-tovvn.  I  am  not  one  of  Melun's  dupes.  I 
am  not  of  a  certainty  one  of  his  friends — even 
though  I  may  appear  to  be  associated  with  him. 

"  I  am  a  very  different  man  indeed  from  what 
I  fancy  you  take  me  for.  My  resources  are 
practically  limitless,  and  without  boasting  I 
may  say  that  I  hold  Melun  in  the  hollow  of  my 
hand." 

Again,  to  his  surprise,  Kathleen  gave  him  the 
same  keen  look  of  suspicion. 

"  I  fear  no  consequence  as  the  result  of  what  I 
will  tell  you,"  she  said  quietly,  "  but  Melun  declares 
that  you  are  merely  an  American  confederate." 

"  Good  Heavens !  "  cried  Westerham,  and  so 
great  was  the  sincerity  of  his  tones  that  Lady 
Kathleen's  face  softened. 

"  But  perhaps  you  are  not.    I  wish  I  knew." 

She  buried  her  face  in  her  hands  and  rocked  to 
and  fro  in  her  distress. 

"HI  tell  you  who  I  am,"  cried  Westerham, 
stung  to  desperation,  "  am  I  not  right  in  thinking 
that  you  would  tell  your  father?" 

Kathleen  nodded  her  assent. 

"And  then  we  should  be  worse  off  than  ever," 
he  rejoined  gloomily,  "  Far  from  being  regarded 
as  a  friend,  I  should  be  regarded  as  an  interloper, 
possibly  a  danger,  because  I  knew  of  your  father's 
difficulty.  Yet  what  the  nature  of  that  trouble  is 
I  have  not  the  least  idea.     Why  not  tell  me?" 

The  girl  leapt  to  her  feet  and  looked  at  him  with 
wild  eyes.  "  H  you  do  know,"  she  cried,  "  you 
are  as  great  a  fiend  as  Melun  to  persecute  me  in 
this  way,  and  if  you  do  not  know — then  Heaven 
forbid  that  you  ever  should. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  87 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  because  if  I  did  I  should  be  a 
murderess." 

"  A  murderess ! "  Westerham  drew  a  step  back 
in  horror. 

"A  murderess  of  whom?  " 

"  Don't  ask,"  cried  Kathleen ;  "  I  should  be  a 
murderess  of  not  one,  but  many.  As  it  is  I  can  at 
least  be  silent,  and  if  needs  be  make  the  sacrifice." 

"What  sacrifice?" 

"  What  sacrifice  ?  Ah,  that  I  cannot  tell  you 
now,  though  I  cannot  hide  it  from  you  always.  I 
fear  that  there  is  no  hope.  That  you  will  have  to 
know  in  time  unless — unless " 

"Unless  what?" 

"  Unless "  cried  the  girl,  and  her  voice  trailed 

away. 

Westerham  took  her  hands  gently  and  with  great 
deference. 

"  Unless,"  he  said  softly,  "  you  allow  me  to  help 
you." 

She  tore  her  hands  away  from  his  and  almost 
screamed  at  him. 

"Go!  Go!"  she  cried. 

Her  whole  air  was  so  distraught,  she  was  so 
obviously  on  the  verge  of  a  complete  breakdown, 
that  Westerham  realised  it  would  be  mere  folly  to 
remain.  His  offers  could  only  exasperate  her  the 
more. 

So  he  turned  away  sorrowfully.  It  cut  him  to 
the  heart  to  see  her  huddled  there  upon  the  steps 
crying  as  if  her  heart  would  break.  But  he  could 
do  nothing.  It  was  with  a  blind  rage  against  Melun 
that  he  stumbled  back  along  the  avenue  to  his  car 
and  curtly  ordered  the  man  to  return  to  London. 


88  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

And  at  every  yard  of  the  way  he  repeated  to 
himself  the  words:  "Murderess!"  "Sacrifice!" 
"Sacrifice!"  "Murderess!" 

On  a  sudden  he  resolved  to  call  on  Mme.  Estelle. 

Possibly  she  could  help  to  solve  all  this  sicken- 
ing mystery. 

The  words  "Murderess!"  "Sacrifice!"  "Mur- 
deress ! "  "  Sacrifice ! "  fitted  with  a  horrible  nicety 
the  throbbing  of  the  engine,  and  he  was  still  mut- 
tering to  himself  "  Murderess !  "  "  Sacrifice !  " 
"  Sacrifice !  "  "  Murderess !  "  when  he  reached  the 
narrow  door  in  the  wall  of  the  house  of  Mme.  Es- 
telle. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SCOTLAND  YARD  INTERVENES 

Mme.  Estelle  was  at  home,  and  Westerham  was 
immediately  shown  into  a  long,  low,  pretty  draw- 
ing-room, which  gave  on  to  a  garden  at  the  back 
of  the  house. 

Judged,  indeed,  from  Madame's  pose,  and  from 
the  gown  she  wore,  she  might  have  been  expecting 
visitors. 

The  lights  were  shaded  so  that  the  hard  lines  on 
her  face  were  softened,  and  in  the  dimness  of  the 
pretty  room  she  looked  the  really  beautiful  woman 
she  once  must  have  been. 

In  his  generous  spirit — though  he  knew  nothing 
of  Madame's  past,  and  practically  nothing  of  her 
present — his  heart  was  touched  by  a  certain  air  of 
loneliness  the  woman  wore,  and  by  the  very  pleas- 
ant smile  of  greeting  which  she  gave  him. 

Sir  Paul  was  conscious  that  Mme.  Estelle  sur- 
veyed him  with  a  certain  amount  of  quiet  wonder- 
ment. And  it  came  home  to  him  that  for  the  first 
time  for  many  years  he  had  been  shaken  out  of 
himself — so  badly  shaken  out  of  himself  that  evi- 
dently his  countenance  bore  some  traces  of  his  un- 
quiet mind. 

Madame's  words  of  welcome  were,  however, 
quite  conventional,  and  bore  no  evidence  of  sur- 
prise. "  This  is  a  most  unexpected  pleasure,"  she 
said. 


90  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"The  pleasure,  I  assure  you,"  answered  Wester- 
ham  in  the  same  conventional  strain,  "  is  entirely 
mine.  I  do  not  wish  in  the  least  to  be  discourteous, 
but  I  have  to  tell  you  that  I  have  called  on  busi- 
ness." 

Madame  nodded  as  if  she  understood.  "Sup- 
pose," she  said,  in  a  pleasant  voice,  "  that  while  we 
discuss  business  we  drink  tea." 

"  I  shall  be  more  than  delighted,"  returned  Wes- 
terham,  though  he  was  anxious  to  get  the  matter 
over  and  go  back  to  the  quiet  of  his  room,  where 
he  could  think  without  interruption. 

So  Madame  rang  the  bell,  gave  her  orders,  and 
the  tea  came  in. 

It  was  not  till  they  were  alone  again  and  fairly 
certain  of  not  being  interrupted  that  Westerham 
went  straight  to  the  point. 

"  Madame,"  he  said,  and  his  tone  was  formal — 
so  formal  that  he  paused  for  a  moment  to  be 
amused  at  himself;  he  might  have  been  a  family 
solicitor  about  to  talk  business  with  a  difficult 
client. 

"  Whatever  they  may  have  been  to  you,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  the  last  few  days  have  meant  much  to 
me.  Possibly  you  are  aware  of  how  I  made  Cap- 
tain Melun's  acquaintance." 

Madame  pursed  up  her  mouth  and  smiled.  "  I 
can  guess,"  she  said;  "but,  of  course,  versions 
differ." 

Westerham's  heart  gave  a  little  bound  of  tri- 
umph. After  all,  this  woman  was  not  wholly  sunk 
in  admiration  of  the  gallant  captain. 

"  Never  mind  about  the  versions,"  he  said ;  "  we 
met.     Without  attempting   to   make  an  ex-parte 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  91 

statement,  I  may  say  that  I  practically  foisted  my- 
self upon  Melun.  I  think  I  may  even  go  so  far  as 
to  say  that  I  compelled  him  to  reveal  himself  to  me 
in  his  most  unpleasant  light,  and  also  to  introduce 
to  me  various  of  his  friends.  You  will,  of  course, 
pardon  my  including  you  in  that  number." 

Making  a  bow  that  was  half  a  mock,  Madame 
smiled — not  altogether  a  pleasant  smile. 

"Les  affaires  sont  les  affaires,"  said  Madame. 
"  Let  us  be  strictly  businesslike.  Allow  me  to  put 
the  matter  as  I  think  you  should  have  put  it  had 
you  been  entirely  plain.  Do  you" — her  face  grew 
a  little  hard  again — "blackmail  the  blackmailer?" 

"  To  be  perfectly  honest,"  said  Westerham,  "  I 
do." 

Madame  nodded  her  head  up  and  down  several 
times  as  though  she  completely  understood. 

"  Now  the  first  of  my  discoveries,"  Westerham 
continued,  "  was  that  Melun  had  some  sort  of  hold 
over  the  Prime  Minister,  Lord  Penshurst." 

Madame  started. 

"  I  also  discovered  that  whatever  that  hold  might 
be,  the  secret  involved  his  daughter.  Then  I  think 
by  a  perfectly  reasonable  and  logical  course  of  argu- 
ment I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  secret,  how- 
ever closely  it  might  be  guarded,  did  not  reflect 
one  particular  kind  of  dishonour  upon  Lord  Pens- 
hurst." 

Madame  nodded  again.  "  I  presume  you  mean,'* 
she  said — "  I  am  speaking,  of  course,  as  a  woman 
of  the  world — that  whatever  Lord  Penshurst  had  to 
be  afraid  of,  he  was  at  least  not  terrified  of  any 
exposure  of  his  morals." 

"  Quite  so,"  agreed  Westerham.     "  More  than 


95  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

that ;  both  from  his  reputation  and  the  httle  I  have 
seen  of  him  I  am  sure  that  he  is  so  honourable  a 
man  that  he  is  not  guarding  any  secret  that  might 
imperil  his  family's  standing.  Indeed,  I  am  con- 
vinced that  whatever  he  has  to  keep  to  himself  it 
does  not  include  any  of  the  ordinary  crimes  and 
offences  of  men." 

Again  Madame  nodded. 

"  Now,  Mme.  Estelle,"  Westerham  continued, 
speaking  more  sharply  than  before,  "  you  may  or 
may  not  be  aware  that  I  purchased  an  insight  into 
Melun's  mode  of  life  at  the  price  of  a  hundred 
thousand  pounds." 

Madame's  face  went  first  white  and  then  red. 

"  That's  the  first  I  have  heard  of  it,"  she  said, 
and  there  was  an  angry  quietude  in  her  voice. 

"  None  the  less,  it  is  so,"  said  Westerham. 
"You  know  who  I  am;  you  know  therefore  what 
my  resources  are.     Such  a  sum  is  nothing  to  me. 

"  Now,"  and  he  raised  his  voice  so  that  it  be- 
came loud  and  very  clear,  "  I  will  double  that  sum 
if  you  will  tell  me  what  the  secret  is." 

Lying  back  on  her  cushions,  Madame  stared  at 
him  with  open  mouth;  then  she  sat  forward  and 
spoke  slowly. 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  speak,"  she  said,  "  as  it 
were,  man  to  man  ?  Two  hundred  thousand  pounds 
cannot  buy  for  me  that  v^^hich  I  desire." 

She  laughed  harshly. 

Mme,  Estelle,  as  though  she  were  far  away,  said 
dreamily,  and  a  little  wistfully.  "  Still,  I  will 
try." 

She  roused  herself  from  her  momentary  abstrac- 
tion and  shook  her  head  almost  fiercely.    **  I  cannot 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  93 

help  you  because  I  do  not  know  what  the  secret  is," 
she  cried. 

Westerham  looked  at  her  with  his  cold,  bright 
eyes,  and  saw  that  she  spoke  the  truth,  and  he  was 
amazed. 

If  she  did  not  know  what  the  secret  was,  then  she 
could  not  know  the  price  of  it. 

Should  he  tell  her  the  price? 

Melun  had  said  nothing  to  him  on  that  point, 
but  he  could  clearly  see  where  matters  were  trend- 
ing. Money,  he  understood,  would  be  of  little 
value  to  Melun  compared  to  a  marriage  with  Kath- 
leen. 

He  started,  and  started  to  such  a  degree  that 
Madame  surveyed  him  with  open  suspicion.  "  Sac- 
rifice," he  said  to  himself.     "  Sacrifice." 

"Was  that  what  she  meant?" 

And  then  he  added  to  himself:  "Oh,  Heaven! 
If  that's  the  sacrifice,  then  it  shall  never  be." 

Outwardly,  however,  he  only  sttaightened  his 
back  and  made  a  formal  little  bow  to  the  aston- 
ished woman  on  the  sofa. 

"  I  believe  you,  Madame,"  he  said,  "  when  you 
declare  that  you  do  not  know." 

For  a  few  moments  he  lapsed  into  silence,  de- 
bating with  himself  whether  he  should  drop  the 
bombshell  into  Madame's  camp  now,  or  whether 
he  should  keep  what,  to  this  woman,  would  be  the 
coping-stone  of  Melun's  villainy — ^his  intention  to 
marry  Kathleen — until  such  a  moment  when  its 
dramatic  force  would  turn  the  scales  in  his  favour. 

It  required  almost  superhuman  resolution  on 
Westerham's  part  to  hold  this  second  secret  to  him- 
self.   But  with  an  effort  he  held  his  lips  in  silence. 


94  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

With  the  silence,  too,  he  suddenly  recognised  that 
he  had  come  into  possession  of  a  fact  that  would 
prove  a  mighty  weapon  with  which  to  deal  both 
with  Mme.  Estelle  and  with  Melun. 

Here  in  truth  were  wheels  within  wheels. 

He  felt  strangely  softened  to  this  unhappy 
woman,  who  was  evidently  trusting  much  and  be- 
ing trusted  little;  and  with  his  pity  came  a  specula- 
tion as  to  what  extent  Melun  was  playing  fair  and 
square  with  his  other  confederates   in  blackmail. 

He  realised  now  that  the  captain  was  in  a  posi- 
tion to  play  for  his  own  hand,  and  that  neither  the 
financing  of  Bagley  nor  the  ambitions  of  Mme. 
Estelle,  nor  yet  the  brutal  violence  of  Crow  and 
his  subsidiary  hooligans  in  Limehouse  were  neces- 
sary to  his  object. 

With  this  conclusion  came  more  complete  puzzle- 
ment than  before. 

It  was  the  word  "  murderess "  employed  by 
Kathleen  which  distressed  him  most.  Facile  and 
swift  as  his  imagination  was,  he  had  as  yet  been 
unable  to  build  up  any  theory  which  could  possibly 
account  for  the  obstinate  and  desperate  manner  in 
which  Lord  Penshurst  and  his  daughter  were 
guarding  their  extraordinary  secret. 

So  long,  indeed,  did  Westerham  stand  in  silence, 
lost  in  his  own  thoughts,  that  it  was  with  a  start  he 
realised  that  Mme.  Estelle  was  gazing  at  him  with 
wide-open,  fearful  eyes.  He  was  quick  to  grasp 
the  necessity  of  breaking  the  silence. 

And  he  deliberately  chose  to  bring  matters  back 
to  a  businesslike  method  by  being  excessively 
brutal. 

".You  will  pardon  me/'  he  said,  "but  I  came 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  95 

here  expecting  to  find  a  liar.  I  have  been  agreeably 
disappointed." 

In  the  pause  which  followed  the  words  he  coldly 
watched  the  woman  wince.  But  the  anger  which 
stole  across  her  face  convinced  him  that  she  had 
now  been  speaking  the  truth. 

He  held  out  his  hand.  Madame  rose  and 
took  it. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  ask  you  again,"  he  said,  "  but 
will  you  once  more  give  me  your  word  of  honour 
as  a  woman  that  you  do  not  know  what  all  this 
mystery  is  about  ?  " 

"  I  know,"  said  Mme.  Estelle,  "  that  Melun  hopes 
to  obtain  some  advantage  from  Lord  Penshurst; 
beyond  that  I  know  nothing." 

Then  suddenly  she  cast  aside  her  reserve  and 
drew  a  little  closer  to  him. 

"  Forgive  plain  speaking  on  my  part,"  she  said, 
"  but  I  am  perfectly  certain  that  you  are  being 
dragged  into  some  horrible  disaster.  I  will  be  frank 
and  honest  with  you.  I  have  been  given  to  under- 
stand that  the  cultivation  of  your  acquaintance  will 
free  us — I  am  speaking  now  for  Captain  Melun 
and  myself — from  those  embarrassments  which 
trouble  us  so  much,  but  I  think — I  cannot  tell  why 
— that  it  is  unfair  you  should  be  drawn  into  this 
business. 

"  You  don't  know,  I  am  afraid,  quite  what  Melun 
is  capable  of.  I  have  seen" — here  she  shuddered 
a  little  and  broke  off. 

"  Why  will  you  not  listen  to  me,"  she  continued 
presently,  "  and  get  clear  while  there  is  yet  time  ? 
There  is  no  reason  why  your  good  name  should  be 
besmirched;  there  is  no  reason" — and  she  faltered 


OS  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

in  her  speech — "  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should 
lose " 

"  No  reason,"  said  Westerham,  in  an  even  voice, 
"why  I  should  lose  my  life?" 

Mme.  Estelle  gave  a  little  gasping  sigh  and  drew 
away  from  him. 

"  Oh !  "  she  cried,  turning  away  her  face,  "  you 
are  pitilessly  logical," 

They  were  standing  thus,  Westerham  looking  at 
Mme.  Estelle  with  his  searching  gaze  while  her 
face  was  turned  towards  the  window,  when  the 
door  opened  behind  them. 

The  prim  voice  of  the  trim  maid  said,  "  Captain 
Melun." 

Westerham  gathered  himself  together  with  a 
laugh.  It  was  rather  like  the  star  situation  of  a 
highly-coloured  melodrama. 

"If  Mme.  Estelle  will  pardon  the  phrase,"  he 

said.    *'  Speak  of  the  devil "   He  stopped  short, 

shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  made  a  little  bow  to- 
wards Melun. 

For  his  part,  the  captain  was  entirely  without 
embarrassment,  having  been  warned  by  the  maid 
that  Westerham  was  with  Madame. 

"  Quite  so,"  he  said.  His  look,  however,  was  so 
vicious  that  Westerham  had  some  inclination  to 
stay  and  see  that  Mme,  Estelle  did  not  suffer  phys- 
ically as  the  result  of  his  call.  He  reflected,  how- 
ever, that  Mme.  Estelle  was  evidently  a  brave 
woman  and  Melun  a  cowardly  man. 

It  was,  therefore,  with  an  easy  mind  on  this 
score  that  he  stepped  forward  and  held  out  his  hand 
to  Madame. 

"  Thank  you  very  much,"  he  said,  "  for  an  ex- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  97 

ceedingly  pleasant,  agreeable  hour.  I  hope  that  you 
will  allow  me  to  have  the  pleasure  of  caUing 
again." 

Madame  bowed  and  took  his  hand.  Her  own 
was  clammy  and  wet. 

To  Melun^  Westerham  only  nodded.  The  more 
he  dealt  with  this  man  the  more  he  regarded  him 
as  a  lackey  to  be  ordered  here  and  there. 

"  I  trust,"  he  said,  and  there  was  an  undertone 
of  command  in  his  voice,  "that  I  shall  see  you  at 
the  hotel  to-night." 

When  he  gained  the  street,  Westerham  told  his 
chauffeur  to  go  home;  he  had  been  cramped  by 
travelling  in  the  car,  and  had  a  wish  to  walk.  He 
stepped  out  briskly  towards  St.  John's  Wood  Road. 

At  the  corner  between  the  Red  Lion  Hotel  and 
the  underground  station  he  saw  a  news-boy  yelling 
for  dear  life  and  waving  about  him  a  fiery-coloured 
placard.  The  wind  caught  it,  and  blowing  it  flat 
against  the  lad's  knees  enabled  Westerham  to  read 
the  contents'  bill: — 

"Extraordinary  Gagging  Outrage  in 
THE  West  End." 

There  were  times  when  Westerham  suffered  from 
the  quick  intuition  of  a  woman,  and  at  this  moment 
it  came  home  to  him  that  this  contents'  bill  affected 
himself. 

His  second  thoughts  were  that  his  first  Impres- 
sion was  nonsense,  but  his  third  thoughts  were  that 
it  was  foolish  to  distrust  his  intuition ;  crossing  the 
road,  he  bought  a  copy  of  the  paper  from  the  news- 
boy. 


98  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

So  certain  was  he  that  he  was  in  some  way  con- 
nected with  the  gagging  outrage,  of  which  he  as 
yet  knew  nothing,  that  he  opened  the  paper  per- 
fectly prepared  for  a  shock.  It  was  well  that  he 
had  braced  himself,  for  in  heavy  type  on  the  main 
page  he  read  the  following : — 

"  An  extraordinary  gagging  outrage  was  dis- 
covered at  about  four  o'clock  this  afternoon  at 
No,  17B  Bruton  Street,  Bond  Street.  The  scene 
was  the  flat  of  a  Mr.  James  Robinson,  a  gentleman 
who  took  a  suite  of  these  fashionable  chambers  less 
than  a  week  ago. 

"  Mr.  Robinson,  who,  it  is  understood,  has  only 
been  in  London  a  short  time,  and  has  since  his 
arrival  purchased  a  magnificent  motor  car,  has  not 
been  sleeping  regularly  at  his  chambers.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  our  representative  was  given  to  un- 
derstand that  he  has  been  away  visiting  friends  in 
the  country. 

"  He  returned,  however,  to  London  at  about  one 
o'clock  to-day,  and  having  lunched,  told  his  valet 
to  send  round  for  the  car  which  he  had  not  hitherto 
used.  He  was  heard  to  instruct  the  chauffeur  to 
drive  along  the  Hertfordshire  Road,  upon  which 
it  was  concluded  that  he  did  not  intend  to  return 
till  late.  Up  to  the  time  of  going  to  press  nothing 
has  been  heard  of  him. 

"About  four  o'clock  the  doorkeeper,  having 
some  message  to  give  to  Mr.  Robinson's  valet,  went 
up  to  the  chambers  and  knocked  at  the  door.  Re- 
ceiving no  reply,  the  man  entered  by  a  pass-key, 
and  was  astonished  to  find  the  whole  place  in  a 
state  of  great  disorder.  Rushing  into  the  dining- 
j-oom,  he  discovered  that  everything  had  been  turned 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  99 

upside  down.  He  then  proceeded  to  the  bedroom, 
where  he  found  Mr.  Robinson's  valet  securely 
bound  hand  and  foot  and  his  mouth  gagged. 

"Before  summoning  the  police,  the  doorkeeper 
took  the  gag  out  of  the  mouth  of  Charles  Blyth, 
the  valet,  and  then  released  his  hands  and  feet. 

"  Upon  the  police  being  summoned,  the  man,  who 
was  suffering  considerably  from  shock,  stated  that 
shortly  after  Mr.  Robinson  had  left  there  had  come 
a  knock  at  the  door.  On  opening  it,  he  was  con- 
fronted by  a  very  tall  and  powerful-looking  man, 
who,  he  is  quite  certain,  was  a  gentleman.  He  was 
well  dressed  in  a  lounge  suit  and  black  bowler  hat, 
but,  to  the  valet's  surprise  and  dismay,  wore  a 
mask  over  his  face. 

"  Continuing,  the  valet  says  that  in  less  time  than 
it  took  him  to  make  the  statement,  the  stranger 
had  rushed  into  the  flat  and  seized  his  throat  in  a 
vice-like  grip. 

"  His  assailant  then  pushed  a  gag — ^which  ap- 
parently consists  of  a  torn  pillowcase — into  his 
mouth,  and,  throwing  him  to  the  floor,  partially 
stunned  him. 

"  After  this  the  stranger  bound  him  hand  and 
foot,  subsequently  lifting  him  bodily  on  to  the  bed, 
where  he  left  him  while  he  ransacked  the  rooms 
from  top  to  bottom. 

"  As  far  as  can  be  judged  at  present,  theft  was 
not  the  motive  of  the  stranger's  extraordinary  pro- 
ceedings, for  not  a  single  thing  is  missing  from 
Mr.  Robinson's  rooms,  though  every  piece  of  paper 
has  been  turned  over  and  every  article  of  clothing 
evidently  searched. 

"  Presumably  the  mysterious  assailant  was  look- 


100  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

ing  for  some  particular  object  which  he  expected  to 
be  there.  Whether  he  found  it  or  not  is  open  to 
question,  and  no  further  Hght  can  be  thrown  on  the 
matter  until  Mr.  Robinson  returns." 

"Mr.  Robinson,"  said  Westerham  to  himself, 
"will  return  at  once,"  and,  hailing  a  hansom,  he 
directed  the  man  to  drive  as  fast  as  he  could  to 
Bruton  Street. 

On  the  way  he  was  rather  troubled  over  the  fact 
that  he  had  called  on  Mme.  Estelle,  as  it  was  quite 
possible  that  by  this  time  the  police  had  dis- 
covered where  he  had  been  during  the  afternoon, 
unless  his  chauffeur  had  been  more  discreet  than 
usual. 

At  Bruton  Street  Westerham  found  his  rooms 
in  much  the  same  condition  as  the  newspaper  had 
described. 

The  valet,  pale  and  troubled-looking,  was  seated 
on  a  chair  in  the  dining-room,  evidently  fending  off 
question  after  question  which  was  being  put  to  him 
by  a  couple  of  men  whom,  without  much  effort  of 
imagination,  Westerham  instantly  recognised  as  de- 
tectives. 

As  he  stood  on  the  threshold,  the  elder  and  taller 
of  the  two  men  left  the  valet  and  approached  him. 

"  You  are  Mr.  Robinson?"  he  asked. 

Westerham  nodded. 

"  My  name,  sir,"  said  the  big  man,  "  is  Inspector 
Rookley,  from  Scotland  Yard.  We  were,  of 
course,  called  in  by  the  police  in  Vine  Street.  This 
is  a  most  mysterious  affair." 

"  Apparently,"  said  Westerham,  easily.  "  I  have 
been  reading  about  it  in  the  evening  papers." 

"I  think  it  will  be  better,"  said  Mr.   Rookley, 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  101 

gravely,  "  if  my  colleague  takes  your  valet  away 
while  I  make  a  few  inquiries." 

"  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  I  desire  any  inquiries 
to  be  made." 

Mr.  Rookley  was  first  astounded  and  then  sus- 
picious. 

"  But,  sir,"  he  protested,  "  this  is  a  most  peculiar 
case." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  Westerham,  "  a  most 
peculiar  case,  a  most  puzzling  case.  But,  at  the 
same  time,  I  cannot  see,  in  the  least,  how  it  con- 
cerns you." 

"  I  am  sure,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Rookley,  with  mean- 
ing, "  that  the  sooner  I  remove  your  valet  the 
better." 

"Just  as  you  please.  As  I  find  you  in  my  flat, 
and  as  apparently  you  want  to  talk,  and  as,  more- 
over, I  have  nothing  on  earth  to  do,  I  suppose  I 
had  better  talk  with  you.  May  I  offer  you  a  whisky- 
and-soda  ?  " 

"  Not  now,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Rookley  severely,  and 
he  beckoned  to  his  colleague  to  take  the  astonished 
valet  away. 

When  they  were  alone,  Mr.  Rookley  turned 
sharply  on  Westerham  and  demanded  in  a  dictato- 
rial voice:     "What  does  it  all  mean?" 

"  Now  really,"  Westerham  laughed,  "  I  should 
have  supposed  that  that  was  the  question  I  should 
have  asked  you.  You,  Mr.  Rookley,  of  Scotland 
Yard,  as  detective,  should  be  more  versed  in  the 
wicked  ways  of  this  life  than  I  am. 

"  I  have  my  rooms  entered  by  a  stranger,  who 
gags  my  valet,  and  who  subsequently  turns  all  my 
effects  topsy-turvy.     You  are  summoned  by  the 


lOa  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

police  to  catch  the  offender.  When  are  you  going 
to  catch  him?" 

Mr.  Rookley  was  used  to  what  he  himself  called 
"  cool  hands,"  but,  as  he  said  afterwards,  this  was 
the  coolest  hand  he  had  ever  met. 

However,  he  was  equal  to  the  occasion. 

"  How  do  you  suppose,  sir,"  he  asked,  "  we  are 
to  make  an  arrest  if  you  don't  provide  us  with  some 
data  to  go  on?" 

"  Data ! "  exclaimed  Westerham.  "  Surely  there 
is  plenty  of  data  here,  and  I  can  tell  you  nothing 
more." 

"  Now  come,  sir,"  urged  the  detective,  "  you  must 
admit  that  you  yourself  are  rather  a  peculiar  per- 
son, and,  mind  you,  sir,  we  of  the  Yard  are  no  re- 
specters of  persons.  You  came  here  a  week  ago. 
You  apparently  dropped  from  the  skies.  No  one 
knows  who  you  are,  and  yet  you  have  plenty  of 
money.  You  buy  a  big  motor  car,  you  order  a  lot 
of  new  clothes,  and  then  you  disappear." 

Westerham  nodded.  "  Quite  true,"  he  said.  "  Go 
on." 

"And  then,"  continued  the  detective,  "you  re- 
appear. You  order  out  the  car,  and  scarcely  is  your 
back  turned  before  this  business  happens. 

"  Now,  my  opinion  is — and  probably  you  knov/ 
more  about  it  than  I  do — that  the  gentleman  who 
went  through  your  things  was  looking  for  some 
special  thing.  I  say  a  *  gentleman '  advisedly,  for 
valets  of  the  description  that  you  have  got  do  not 
make  mistakes  on  that  score. 

"Of  course,"  Mr.  Rookley  droned  on,  "gentle- 
men sometimes  do  wild  things.  I  have  known  a 
few  in  my  time.     Maybe  there  was  some  quarrel 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  103 

about  some  lady.  Maybe  you  have  taken  some- 
thing belonging  to  some  lady  which  the  other  gen- 
tleman thought  you  should  not  have  taken.  For 
the  moment  we  really  do  not  suspect  anything 
more  serious,  though  naturally  we  are  making 
inquiries." 

"I  trust  they  will  prove  satisfactory,"  said 
Westerham. 

"  You  may  rest  assured  they  will,  sir,"  snapped 
Mr.  Rookley.  "We  seldom  fail.  Of  course,  it  is 
open  to  us  to  put  what  construction  we  like  upon 
this  matter  if  you  do  not  choose  to  explain. 

"There  is  the  beginning  of  many  big  affairs  in 
such  a  comparative  trifle  as  this.  Why  not,  for 
your  own  sake,  and  for  our  sakes,  tell  us  all  about 
it? 

"  I  have  to  warn  you  that  as  things  stand  your 
position  is  very  awkward.  If  you  refuse  to  give 
an  explanation  of  your  movements  you  must  ex- 
pect to  be  regarded  with  suspicion — and  I  assure 
you  that  with  us  it  is  not  a  far  cry  from  suspicion  to 
action.  In  fact,  the  consequences  may  be  exceed- 
ingly serious  for  you.  There  is  such  a  thing,  you 
know,"  added  the  detective,  adopting  a  more  bully- 
ing tone,  "  as  being  arrested  on  suspicion.  Come, 
tell  me,  where  did  you  sleep  last  night?  " 

"  My  dear  man,"  said  Westerham,  suavely,  "  I 
have  not  the  slightest  intention  of  telling  you." 


■     CHAPTER    IX 

THE  HIGHER  BURGLARY 

Mr.  Rookley  swung  his  heavy  body  to  and  fro  on 
his  heels  and  toes,  and  pursed  up  his  official  mouth. 

"  Mr.  Robinson,"  he  said,  "  I  must  warn  you 
that  you  are  playing  an  exceedingly  dangerous 
game." 

"  May  I  suggest,"  Westerham  remarked,  more 
bluntly  than  before,  "that  you  are  doing  precisely 
the  same  ?  " 

"What  do  you  mean,  sir?" 

"  I  mean  that  you  are  not  keeping  strictly  to  your 
duty.  You  seem  to  be  taking  upon  yourself  a  great 
many  things  which  it  is  not  your  business  to  do — 
certainly  you  are  assuming  a  great  many  preroga- 
tives that  you  have  no  right  to." 

"What  do  you  mean,  sir?"  reiterated  the  de- 
tective. 

"  Tut,  tut,  my  dear  sir,"  said  Westerham,  "  sit 
down  and  try  to  compose  yourself,  while  I  en- 
deavour to  explain  the  precise  situation. 

"  First,"  Westerham  continued,  emphasising  the 
"first"  by  touching  his  left  forefinger  with  his 
right,  "although  I  am  not  very  much  acquainted, 
thank  goodness,  with  criminal  procedure  in  this 
country,  I  am  at  least  aware  of  this — that  the  law 
of  England  regards  every  man  as  innocent  until  he 
has  been  proved  guilty.  But  you,  under  some  mis- 
apprehension of  your  duties,  appear  to  assume  that 
I  am  guilty  until  I  have  proved  myself  innocent. 

104 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  105 

"  Now,  of  what  am  I  guilty  ?  Nothing  except  of 
absenting  myself  from  my  rooms,  which  it  is  my 
innocent  privilege  and  pleasure  to  do.  You  inquire 
of  my  antecedents.  What  do  they  matter  to  you? 
They  are  my  business  alone. 

"  However,"  he  went  on,  eyeing  the  now  discon- 
certed Mr.  Rookley,  "  in  order  that  you  may  not 
be  too  harsh  in  your  judgments  I  will  enlighten 
your  ignorance  to  a  certain  extent.  I  came  here 
on  the  introduction  of  Lord  Dunton,  who  is  a  most 
intimate  friend.  I  paid  six  months'  rent  in  advance. 
I  furnished  these  rooms  at  no  small  expense,  and 
I  purchased  one  of  the  best  motor  cars  on  the 
market. 

"  Now  I  wish  particularly  to  draw  your  attention 
to  the  fact  that  I  did  not  offer  to  pay  for  any  of 
these  things  by  cheque.  I  paid  for  them  all  out  of 
hand  by  bank-note.  In  fact,  you  will  see  for  your- 
self that  since  I  took  up  my  abode  here  I  must  have 
spent  perhaps  a  couple  of  thousand  pounds;  all  of 
which  I  have  paid  out  in  hard  cash. 

"  Were  these  bank-notes  stolen  ?  Certainly  not. 
Had  they  been,  the  fact  must  inevitably  have  been 
discovered.  No,  strange  as  it  may  seem  to  you,  I 
came  by  those  notes  quite  honestly. 

"  It  is  not  your  business  to  do  so,  but  if  you  care 
to  take  the  trouble  you  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  trace 
them.  However,  to  save  you  unnecessary  labour, 
I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  those  notes  were  paid 
over  to  me  by  Lord  Dunton,  in  return  for  a  cheque 
which  I  gave  him.  Why  I  chose  to  conduct  my 
business  on  those  lines  is  my  own  affair, 

"More  than  this  I  have  no  intention  of  reveal- 
ing.   You  are,  of  course,  at  perfect  liberty  to  make 


106  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

every  inquiry  you  please  of  Lord  Dunton,  but  I 
fancy  you  will  obtain  very  small  satisfaction  from 
him." 

"Of  course,"  said  Mr.  Rookley,  desirous  of 
putting  on  an  appearance  which  would  suggest  that 
he  was  not  entirely  baffled — "  of  course  Lord  Dun- 
ton  may  refuse  to  give  any  information,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  such  an  explanation  may  be  in- 
convenient to  himself." 

"I  do  not  quite  follow  you,"  remarked  Wester- 
ham. 

"  What  I  intended  to  Imply,"  said  Mr.  Rookley, 
"  is  that  your  friendship  may  not  be  so  welcome  to 
Lord  Dunton  as  Lord  Dunton's  friendship  is  to 
you." 

"  I  think  you  are  very  insolent,  Mr.  Rookley," 
said  Westerham. 

"  Possibly,"  answered  the  man  from  Scotland 
Yard;  "but  I  think  I  have  some  justification  for 
being  rude.  Now,  although  it  is  true  that  I  cannot 
ascertain  where  you  slept  last  night,  I  am  at  any 
rate  acquainted  with  some  of  your  movements." 

Westerham  started.  This  was  growing  a  little 
more  awkward  than  he  had  bargained  for.  It  even 
occurred  to  him  that  it  might  be  foolish  to  withhold 
too  much  information  from  Mr.  Rookley.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  if  he  revealed  his  identity  his 
troubles  would  be  greatly  increased,  for  it  would 
inevitably  lead  to  a  break  with  Melun  and  that 
would  double  his  difficulties  in  probing  the  mystery 
of  the  Premier's  secret. 

"Yes,"  Mr.  Rookley  went  on,  with  a  return  to 
his  old  superiority  and  ease  of  manner;  "you  at- 
tended   the   Premier's    reception   last   night" — he 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  107 

paused  that  his  words  might  have  more  dramatic 
force — "  and  you  went  under  the  auspices  of  Cap- 
tain Melun." 

"Indeed,"  said  Westerham,  "you  seem  to  be 
remarkably  well  informed." 

"  I  am,"  agreed  Mr.  Rookley,  shutting  his  mouth 
with  a  snap. 

"  I  am,"  he  continued,  "  and  I  know  this — that 
either  you  must  be  a  very  foolish,  a  very  ignorant, 
or  a  very  bad  young  man  to  have  had  the  audacity 
to  attend  Lord  Penshurst's  reception  under  such  a 
guardianship." 

"  It  is  really  very  kind  of  you  to  make  such  dis- 
tinctions," laughed  Westerham.  "  Only,  as  it 
happens,  there  is  another  alternative  which  you 
have  not  suggested.  It  is  not  my  business  to  point 
it  out  to  you,  but  I  will  give  you  the  opportunity 
of  discovering  it  for  yourself.  I  know  quite  enough 
of  Captain  Melun  to  prevent  my  pleading  ignorance 
or  folly  in  the  cultivation  of  his  acquaintance;  on 
the  other  hand,  if  you  suggest  that  I  am  apparently 
enjoying  his  friendship  because  my  ideas  of  life 
are  the  same  as  his,  then  you  are  wrong  again.  Can 
you  think  of  any  other  reason  for  my  being  with 
Captain  Melun?" 

"  None,"  said  the  detective,  with  what  was  meant 
to  be  a  most  significant  air. 

"Then,"  said  Westerham,  "suppose  we  adjourn 
this  conversation  sine  die.  It  affords  me  very  little 
pleasure,  and  apparently  gives  you  uncommonly  little 
satisfaction.  Before  you  go,  however,  I  am  afraid 
I  must  add  to  your  troubles.  I  assure  you  that  I 
have  not  the  faintest  notion  who  broke  into  my 
rooms  and  who  gagged  my  valet,  any  more  than 


lOd  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

I  have  the  remotest  idea  what  the  motive  could  pos- 
sibly be.  There  were  a  good  many  things,  scarf- 
pins  and  the  like,  lying  about  all  over  the  place,  but 
nothing  has  been  stolen," 

"  Oh,"  said  the  detective  with  deep  meaning, 
"  but  suppose  they  were  looking  for  something  else 
quite  other  than  articles  of  value — I  should  say  of 
intrinsic  value.  Suppose  that  someone  had  a  notion 
that  he  would  like  to  recover  something  you  had 
no  right  to  be  possessed  of;  or  suppose  that  the 
person  who  broke  in  imagined  that  he  might  find 
something  among  your  papers  which  would  be  of 
use  to  him?" 

"  Now,  my  dear  sir,"  said  Westerham,  "  I  do  not 
wish  to  insult  you,  but  really  you  are  a  very  poor 
judge  of  human  character.  Do  you  suppose  I 
should  not  know  if  whatever  I  had  no  right  to 
be  possessed  of  had  gone?  Do  you  think  that  if 
some  paper  or  papers  which  might  give  someone 
else  a  hold  over  me  had  been  taken  I  should  not 
also  by  this  time  be  acquainted  with  the  fact? 
And  in  either  of  those  cases,  should  I  be  so  entirely 
indifferent  to  the  matter  as  I  am  now?  No,  I 
assure  you  I  think  that  there  has  been  some 
mistake." 

"Now  look  here,  Mr.  Robinson,"  said  the  de- 
tective, with  a  more  friendly  air,  "  let  me  ask  a 
straight  question.  Do  you  suspect  that  Captain 
Melun  has  had  a  hand  in  this  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Westerham,  with  emphasis,  "  I  do 
not.  I  feel  certain  that  he  has  had  nothing  to  do 
with  it." 

"  Is  there  no  one  else,  then,  whom  you  can  pos- 
sibly conceive  guilty  of  such  an  outrage?" 


THE    CRIME     CLUB  109 

Westerham  gave  himself  up  to  a  few  minutes  of 
genuine  hard  thinking. 

** No,"  he  said  at  last  slowly;  " I  can  think  of  no 
one  in  the  world  who  would  have  any  object  in 
treating  my  rooms  in  this  way." 

"Then  surely,"  cried  the  detective,  "if  it  is  a 
mystery  to  you,  you  would  like  the  matter  cleared 
up?" 

"  Quite  so,"  said  Westerham,  with  a  smile, 
"cleared  up  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Rookley. 
No,  thank  you  very  much  for  your  kind  offer,  but 
I  will  clear  the  matter  up  for  myself.  In  the  mean- 
time, as  I  see  no  reason  why  you  should  detain  me, 
I  will  not  detain  you.  Allow  me  to  wish  you  good- 
day." 

Without  another  word  he  walked  into  his  bed- 
room and  shut  the  door  sharply. 

When  Westerham  told  Rookley  that  he  had  no 
conception  of  the  identity  of  his  mysterious  visitor 
he  spoke  the  truth;  nor,  cudgel  his  brains  as  he 
might,  could  he  advance  any  theory  which  satis- 
fied him.  It  seemed  that  the  best  thing  he  could  do 
was  to  send  for  Melun.  The  captain,  he  reflected, 
was  more  acquainted  with  this  sort  of  dealing  than 
he  was,  and  might  possibly  throw  some  light  on  the 
matter.    So  for  Melun  he  sent. 

The  captain  came  with  a  bad  grace  at  about  eight 
o'clock.  He  had  already  seen  in  the  evening  papers 
various  accounts  of  the  ransacking  of  Westerham's 
rooms. 

Westerham  began  by  detailing  to  him  the  con- 
versation with  the  detective,  to  every  word  of 
which  the  captain  listened  with  a  great  attention, 
here  and  there  putting  in  a  question  which  quite 


110  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

convinced  Sir  Paul  that  Melun  knew  nothing  of 
the  affair. 

However,  he  was  determined  to  see  what  Melun 
would  say  if  he  asked  him  point  blank  whether  he 
had  been  playing  the  burglar. 

Upon  the  question  being  put  to  him,  Melun 
laughed  quite  easily  and  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  he  said,  "  once  bitten,  twice 
shy.  My  attempt  to  burgle  you  on  the  Gigantic 
was  not  so  successful  as  to  tempt  me  to  repeat  the 
performance.  Besides,  I  am  a  fairly  good  judge 
of  my  fellow-men,  and  I  have  given  up  all  hope 
of  discovering  anything  in  your  past  or  your  pres- 
ent which  would  lead  me  to  the  delectable  state  of 
being  able  to  dictate  to  you." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Westerham,  "  that  is  at  least 
frank." 

"  I  am  learning,"  returned  Melun,  "  that  it  is 
scarcely  worth  while  to  be  anything  else  with  you." 

"  Thank  you  again,"  said  Westerham.  "  And 
now  suppose  I  ask  you  whether  you  can  throw  any 
light  on  the  subject?" 

"Now,"  said  Melun,  "you  are  asking  a  really 
sensible  question.  I  can.  What  is  more,  I  think  I 
can  completely  clear  up  the  mystery  for  you." 

"  So  you  did  have  a  hand  in  it,  after  all? "  cried 
Westerham. 

"  Well,  yes,  I  had  a  hand  in  it ;  but  I  took  no  part 
in  the  actual  burgling." 

Sir  Paul  stared  at  him  in  amazement.  "What 
do  you  mean?"  he  demanded. 

"First  of  all,"  said  Melun,  "what  was  the  de- 
scription of  the  mysterious  stranger  given  by  your 
yaletr'- 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  111 

"  Very  tall,  very  thin,  with  reddish  hair  and 
reddish  moustache,  and,  so  far  as  he  could  see 
through  the  mask  on  his  face,  grey  eyes.  His 
hands,  as  Blyth  had  good  reason  to  notice,  were 
very  large  and  sunburnt,  with  uncommonly  well- 
kept  nails." 

Melun  nodded  his  head.  "  Good,"  he  said,  "  the 
description  tallies  exactly  with  the  gentleman  I 
suspected  of  having  been  here  this  afternoon. 

"  You  may  have  noticed,"  he  continued,  "  that 
one  of  the  men  most  in  evidence  at  Downing  Street 
last  night  was  the  Premier's  private  secretary, 
the  Hon.  Claude  Hilden." 

"Yes,"  said  Westerham,  eagerly,  "what  of 
him?" 

"  He  burgled  your  rooms,"  said  Melun,  calmly. 

"What!  "  Westerham  jumped  out  of  his  chair 
and  stood  over  Melun.  "  What  do  you  mean  ? 
Why,  it  is  impossible.  If  he  did  that  it  must  have 
been  by  Lord  Penshurst's  orders,  and  what,  in  the 
name  of  Heaven,  could  they  have  expected  to  find 
here?" 

"  Exactly  what  Hilden  came  to  find — what  he 
did  find,  and  what  he  took  away  with  him." 

"In  the  name  of  Heaven,  what?"  asked  Wes- 
terham, to  whom  things  were  becoming  a  little  too 
complicated  for  him  to  follow. 

"  What  Hilden  found,"  said  Melun,  slowly  and 
precisely,  "were  Lady  Kathleen's  diamonds." 

"  Lady  Kathleen's  diamonds !  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Melun,  smiling  as  though  with 
intense  relish  of  an  infinitely  fine  jest,  "Lady 
Kathleen's  diamonds. 

"  They  were  missed  shortly  after  your  departure. 


in  THE    CRIME    CLTTB 

and  you  were  at  once  suspected  of  being  the  author 
of  the  theft.  And  therefore  Lord  Penshurst, 
knowing  that  Bagley  had  made  one  attempt  before, 
and  that  I  was  connected  with  Bagley,  at  first  sus- 
pected me. 

"In  fact,  at  about  two  in  the  morning,  Hilden 
came  around  to  my  rooms  with  the  Premier.  They 
roused  me  from  sleep  and  taxed  me  with  the  theft, 
Lord  Penshurst  threatening  that  if  I  did  not  give 
them  up  he  would  certainly  not  accede  to  the  other 
terms  which  I  am  asking  of  him. 

*'  I  told  him  quite  frankly  that  I  did  not  take 
them  but  that  I  strongly  suspected  you." 

"  You  scoundrel !  "  cried  Westerham. 

In  his  sudden  rage  he  would  have  seized  Melun 
by  the  throat;  but  Melun,  whom  Westerham  had 
never  seen  more  calm  and  self-possessed,  pushed 
his  hand  aside  and  said,  "Softly,  softly!  you  had 
better  hear  me  out." 

"Go  on!" 

"  I  told  them,"  continued  Melun,  "  that  it  would 
be  folly  to  rouse  you  as  they  had  aroused  me.  In 
fact,  I  told  them  that  you  were  a  strong  man  armed 
— that  any  attack  made  on  you  or  your  rooms  in 
the  small  hours  would  inevitably  lead  to  one  of 
them  being  damaged,  which  would  only  result  in 
awkward  police-court  proceedings  and  painful 
revelations." 

"  You  scoundrel !  You  scoundrel !  "  cried  Wes- 
terham again, 

"  Wait  a  minute,  my  dear  fellow ;  hear  me  out," 
pleaded  Melun.  "  You  may  consider  that  you  have 
played  the  game  with  me,  but  that  is  not  my  own 
view  of  things.    It  was  necessary  to  teach  you  a 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  113 

lesson.  In  your  nice,  strong,  masterful  way  you 
were  under  the  impression  that  you  had  to  deal 
with  a  pack  of  cowards  and  curs." 

"  So  I  have,"  said  Westerham,  grimly. 

"Perhaps;  but  one  of  them  is  not  quite  so  im- 
potent as  you  judged  him,  and  if  you  reflect  a 
moment  you  will  see,  at  any  rate,  that  you  are  at 
present  in  a  rather  awkward  predicament.  How- 
ever, to  get  on  with  my  tale. 

"  I  had  you  watched  this  morning,  and  as  soon 
as  you  left  your  rooms  I  slipped  in  here  with  the 
diamonds." 

"  But  you  said  you  had  not  taken  them,"  said 
Westerham. 

"  So  I  did,  but  I  took  them  none  the  less.  I  got 
rid  of  your  man  for  a  minute  on  some  pretext,  and 
just  jammed  them  into  the  pocket  of  the  coat  you 
had  worn  the  night  before.  Then  I  at  once  com- 
municated with  Downing  Street.  I  could  not  tell 
them  where  the  diamonds  actually  were,  for  that 
would  have  given  me  away,  but  I  knew  that  Lord 
Penshurst  and  Hilden  were  sufficiently  desperate 
to  turn  your  place  upside  down  to  find  them.  They 
did  find  them,  for  Hilden  telephoned  the  fact  to 
me  half  an  hour  before  you  sent  for  me." 

"Good  Lord!"  said  Westerham,  and  held  up 
his  hand  for  silence.  He  wished  to  think.  Matters 
were  becoming  more  and  more  difficult  to  under- 
stand. Lord  Penshurst  went  in  dread  of  Melun — 
so  great  a  dread  that  he  even  had  to  confide  in  his 
nephew  and  his  private  secretary  when  Melun 
pressed  him  too  hard.  It  was  evident,  too,  that 
Melun's  grip  of  the  Premier  must  be  of  the  most 
remorseless  kind,  or  such  a  man  as  Lord  Penshurst 


114.  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

would  never  stoop  to  countenance  such  deeds  on 
Melun's  part 

This  was  bad  enough,  but  the  whole  affair  as- 
sumed a  far  more  sinister  aspect  when  Westerham 
reflected  that  Lady  Kathleen  must  of  necessity  be 
acquainted  with  Lord  Penshurst's  expedition  in 
the  small  hours,  and  of  her  cousin's  burglarious 
exploits  in  the  afternoon. 

"  No  wonder,"  groaned  Westerham  to  himself, 
"she  did  not  trust  me.  No  wonder!  No  wonder! 
Oh,  the  shame  of  it!  This  is  the  hardest  part  of 
all — to  be  suspected,  and  to  be  suspected  of  such  a 
mean  and  dastardly  thing  as  this." 

"  Good  Heavens !  "  he  cried  aloud,  "  but  for  the 
fact  that  I  should  be  hung  for  it,  which  would  un- 
fortunately spoil  my  chances  in  certain  directions, 
I  think  I  could  shoot  you  on  the  spot." 

"  Just  so,"  said  Melun,  "  but  I  feel  safe  in  the 
knowledge  that  you  won't." 

"I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do,"  said  Westerham, 
"  and  I  have  every  justification  for  doing  it — I  will 
go  back  on  my  agreement  with  you  here  and  now. 
In  half  an  hour  I  will  be  in  Downing  Street 
and  expose  the  whole  thing.  Yes,  by  Heavens! 
And  if  Lord  Penshurst  won't  move  in  the  matter 
himself,  then  I  will  see  to  it  that  you  are  prose- 
cuted." 

"  No,  you  won't,"  said  Melun.  "  The  question 
really  involved  is  a  matter  of  many  men's  lives, 
and  one  man's  life,  even  yours,  will  not  stand  in 
the  way  of  this  secret  being  kept." 

"  Lord  Penshurst  is  no  murderer,  even  though 
V'X3  may  be,"  cried  Westerham,  indignantly. 

"'Perhaps  not,  my  dear  sir,  perhaps  not;  but,  at 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  115 

the  same  time,  the  situation  is  such  that  he  cannot 
possible  prosecute." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  thundered  Westerham, 
again  laying  his  hand  roughly  on  Melun's  shoulder. 

"  Pardon  me,"  Melun  answered,  shaking  himself 
free,  "  but  that  is  my  business — and  Lord  Pens- 
hurst's  business." 

Poor  little  Lady  Kathleen  sobbed  till  she  could 
sob  no  more.  Then  she  lifted  her  head  wearily, 
mopped  her  swollen  eyes,  and,  gathering  herself 
together,  walked  slowly  back  to  the  Hall. 

She  went  at  once  to  her  father's  room,  to  find 
the  Premier  in  a  scarcely  less  pitiable  frame  of 
mind  than  she  was  in  herself. 

The  old  man  was  sitting  at  his  desk,  his  head 
buried  in  his  hands,  though  the  table  w^as  littered 
with  papers  requiring  urgent  attention. 

Kathleen  walked  up  behind  him,  and,  placing 
one  of  her  hands  on  his  head,  stroked  his  hair 
gently. 

*'  Poor  father!  "  she  said. 

"  Heaven  help  us,  my  dear ! "  said  Lord  Pens- 
hurst,  and  he  stood  up  and  took  his  daughter  in 
his  arms,  holding  her  almost  as  though  he  were 
afraid  she  might  be  taken  from  him. 

After  a  little  while  he  became  calmer,  and  began 
to  speak  of  the  dreadful  thing  which  weighed  so 
upon  both  their  spirits. 

But  even  while  he  spoke  of  it  he  looked  cau- 
tiously about,  as  though  he  were  fearful  that  other 
ears  might  be  listening. 

"  So  you  see,  little  girl,"  he  said,  "  that  your 
very  kindly  estimate  of  the  red-headed  man  Robin- 


116  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

son  was  entirely  wrong.  He  didn't  look  like  a 
scoundrel,  but  he  is  one.  VLe  is  not  even  a  scoundrel 
of  Melun's  description.  Upon  my  soul,  I  think  I 
prefer  the  blackmailer  to  the  mere  thief." 

"  Do  you  think,"  asked  Kathleen,  searching  her 
father's  face,  "  that,  after  all,  this  is  not  some  of 
Melun's  work?" 

"Why  should  it  be?"  returned  her  father. 

"I  don't  know,  I  am  sure,"  said  Kathleen, 
doubtfully,  "except  that  I  have  a  sort  of  feeling 
that  it  is." 

"Why?"  asked  her  father. 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  Lady  Kathleen  told  him 
of  her  meeting  with  Bagley  in  Hyde  Park. 

"Oh,  my  dear!  my  dear!"  cried  her  father, 
taking  her  in  his  arms  again,  "  How  many  more 
sacrifices  are  you  prepared  to  make  for  me?  If 
I  had  not  confided  in  you  I  do  not  know  what  I 
should  have  done.  I  assure  you  that  it  is  only 
because  I  dread  the  awful  consequences  that  would 
come  if  my  secret  were  discovered  that  has  pre- 
vented me  from  taking  my  life.  But,  as  you  know, 
the  shedding  of  my  blood  would  mean  the  shedding 
of  blood  all  over  the  world.  Sometimes  I 
think  the  dread  of  it  is  driving  me  out  of  my 
mind. 

"And  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any  hope  of 
getting  the  thing  back — no  hope  of  it  at  all.  By 
George !  I  wish  we  were  back  in  the  good  old  days. 
Then  I  could  put  that  Melun  on  the  rack.  I'd  get 
the  secret  out  of  him  somehow. 

"  But  he  is  too  slippery.  I  even  made  arrange- 
ments to  have  him  watched,  but  he  beats  our  men 
all  the  time.     He  is  here  to-day  and  gone  to- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  117 

morrow.  He  appears  and  he  vanishes — Heaven 
only  knows  how. 

"  And  now,  to  add  to  our  perplexities,  we  have 
got  this  red-haired  giant,  who  seems  to  be  even 
more  unscrupulous  than  Melun.  Certainly  he  is 
more  bold.  To  my  way  of  thinking,  it  was  only 
a  bold  stroke  to  win  your  confidence  that  he  dealt 
with  Bagley  as  he  did." 

"  Oh,  father ! "  cried  Kathleen,  "  I  cannot  believe 
that" 

"Nonsense,  my  dear.  Do  you  suppose  that  a 
man  who  is  hand  in  glove  with  Melun  comes  across 
you  and  Bagley  in  the  Park  by  accident?  Why, 
it  is  one  chance  against  a  hundred  million." 

"  But  still  it  is  a  chance,"  urged  Kathleen. 

"  My  dear  little  girl,"  said  the  Premier,  gently, 
while  he  patted  her  cheek,  "  I  am  afraid  that  you 
are  of  a  very  trusting  disposition,  though  that  has 
certainly  been  to  the  advantage  of  your  poor  old 
father. 

"  No,  no !  '*  he  went  on.  "  Depend  on  it,  he  was 
there  by  arrangement. 

"  Besides,  how  otherwise  should  he  know  who 
you  were?  And  you  say  he  suggested  that  he 
should  drive  you  back  to  Downing  Street? 

"  Gad !  it  almost  makes  one  admire  the  man  to 
think  of  his  cool  cheek.  To  drive  you  back  to 
Downing  Street  indeed!" 

"  And  yet,  father,  in  spite  of  it  all,  I  really  be- 
lieve the  man's  honest.  You  see,  you  cut  me  short. 
I  have  something  else  to  tell  you  yet." 

Lord  Penshurst  eyed  Kathleen  uneasily. 

"  What  is  it  now  ? "  he  asked,  with  a  sad  little 
laugh. 


118  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"  Why,"  said  Lady  Kathleen,  and  for  a  moment 
she  felt  unaccountably  nervous  and  shy,  *'he  was 
here  this  afternoon." 

"What!"  roared  the  Premier;  "he  was  here 
this  afternoon?  Why  did  you  not  tell  me?  I 
would  have  had  the  fellow  flogged  out  of  the 
place." 

"  Gently,  father,  gently,"  urged  Lady  Kathleen, 
"  aren't  you  speaking  rather  loud  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  I  am,"  said  Lord  Penshurst,  bitterly. 
"  But  tell  me  about  it." 

In  a  very  few  words  Lady  Kathleen  outlined 
her  interview  with  Westerham  in  the  Deer  Park. 

"  You  know,  father,"  she  concluded,  "  I  almost 
believe  he  was  speaking  the  truth  when  he  said 
that  he  was  quite  different  from  the  man  we  be- 
lieved him  to  be." 

"  Rubbish,  my  dear,"  snapped  the  Premier,  "  he 
is  only  a  gentlemanly  scoundrel — that  is  all. 

"  I  wonder  how  long  we  shall  be  able  to  keep 
Hilden  in  ignorance  of  what  is  really  the  matter," 
he  continued.  "  The  dear  chap  has  behaved 
splendidly — did  everything  I  asked  him  without  a 
murmur,  even  to  the  extent  of  burglary  this  after- 
noon. By  the  way,  he  has  got  your  diamonds 
back.  He  has  just  'phoned  me  from  Downing 
Street." 

"  Oh,  let  them  go!  Let  them  go!"  cried  Lady 
Kathleen,  with  intense  weariness.  "  Their  presence 
seems  only  to  make  matters  worse." 

Suddenly  she  threw  herself  into  her  father's 
arms. 

"Oh,  father,  father!"  she  cried.  "Let  us  do 
everything  we  can.     Don't  let  us  give  up  hope. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  119 

We  have  still  got  a  fortnight  left  in  which  to  get 
that  dreadful  secret  back.  Don't  let  us  give  up 
hope.  I  would  rather  disguise  myself  and  go  out 
and  search  for  it  than  have  to  endure  what  it 
means  if  we  fail." 

"  Don't  cry,  my  dear.  Don't  cry.  Believe  me, 
I  am  doing  everything  I  possibly  can  without  giv- 
ing anything  away.  But  already  it  seems  to  me — 
perhaps  I  only  imagine  things — that  the  servants 
and  people  suspect  that  something  is  wrong. 

"  That  is  why  we  have  got  to  be  brave  and 
look  cheerful.  I  know  it  will  be  dreadful  for  you 
to  have  to  look  after  the  house-party — and  the 
people  come  to-morrow.  Still,  it  cannot  be  helped. 
iWe  have  got  to  go  through  with  it,  but  after  the 
dance  we  will  go  back  at  once,  and  then  I  assure 
you  that  if  it  costs  me  my  life  I  will  make  that 
Melun  disgorge." 

Kathleen  smiled  at  her  father  through  her  tears. 

"  You  dear  old  fire-eater,"  she  said.  "  I  really 
believe  you  would." 

"  My  daughter,"  the  Premier  said,  "  there  has 
never  been  a  murderer  in  this  family  to  my  knowl- 
edge; but  I  swear  to  you  that  if  I  have  to  settle 
the  scoundrel  myself  you  shall  not  marry  Melun. 
Heavens!  The  price  of  silence  is  too  big  alto- 
gether." 


CHAPTER   X 

SIR  PAUL  IN   PERIL 

It  was  all  very  well  for  Melun  to  tell  Westerham 
that  he  was  a  strong  man  armed.     But  was  he? 

Westerham  pondered  over  this  problem  with  a 
puzzled  frown.  In  spite  of  the  checks  he  had  met 
with,  he  still  felt  himself  to  be,  as  Melun  had  said, 
a  strong  man.  And  when  he  came  to  a  tight  corner 
he  was  armed  for  the  struggle,  and  had  less  fear 
of  things  than  had  Melun. 

At  times  also  it  seemed  as  if  his  ingenuity  was 
greater  than  the  captain's.  But,  for  all  that,  did 
he  really  hold  the  qpper  hand?  As  he  impartially 
summed  the  matter  up  for  himself  it  seemed  to 
him  that  he  did  not. 

On  the  Gigantic  he  had  laughed  that  Melun 
should  hope  to  find  in  his  possession  anything  to 
make  him  an  easy  prey  to  blackmail.  Yet  here  he 
was,  a  prey  to  the  worst  blackmail  of  all — a  species 
of  blackmail  of  the  heart.  On  every  hand,  and  at 
every  turn,  no  matter  in  what  direction  he  might 
strike  out,  he  was  more  than  met  and  baffled  by 
the  one  dominant  fact  that  the  faintest  breath  of 
publicity  would  inevitably  lose  him  Lady  Kathleen. 

So  great,  however,  and  so  entirely  unselfish  was 
his  love  for  the  Premier's  daughter,  that  he  would 
have  faced  even  that  loss  bravely  could  it  have 
brought  any  peace  to  the  hunted  girl's  mind.  But 
he  realised  that  to  relinquish  his  claims  would  be 

ISO 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  121 

immediately  to  throw  her  into  the  arms  of  Melun. 
Westerham  shuddered  when  he  thought  of  that. 

No,  crippled  and  cramped  though  he  was,  he 
must  certainly  go  on — go  on  in  the  blind  hope  that 
he  could  find  something  which  would  enable  him 
to  deal  Melun  a  blow  from  which  he  could  not  re- 
cover. 

This,  however,  on  further  thought,  seemed  a 
rather  laissez  faire  policy  to  follow.  It  was  ridicu- 
lous to  think  that,  in  spite  of  his  handicap,  he 
should  be  beaten  and  bested  at  every  turn  by  such 
a  man  as  Melun. 

For  fully  an  hour,  therefore,  after  the  captain 
had  left  him,  Westerham  sat,  pencil  in  hand, 
mapping  out  plan  after  plan  of  campaign.  But  all 
of  them,  as  he  pored  over  their  possibilities,  seemed 
to  avail  him  nothing,  and  at  last,  when  well  nigh  in 
despair,  he  tore  up  into  minute  fragments  the  va- 
rious propositions  he  had  formulated. 

Then  it  suddenly  dawned  on  him  that  if  he  could 
only  prove,  as  he  strongly  suspected,  that  Melun 
was  by  no  means  dealing  honestly  with  his  fellow 
criminals,  he  would  be  able  by  a  little  astute  man- 
agement to  turn  all  the  organisation  which  Melun 
had  at  his  disposal  against  the  captain  himself. 

Westerham's  bright  gaze  brightened  and  his 
smile  broadened.  With  an  almost  boyish  delight 
he  immediately  set  to  work  to  devise  a  scheme 
whereby  he  could  turn  the  tables  on  his  enemy. 

There  was  very  little  time  to  be  lost,  and  to  his 
joy  Westerham  remembered  that  the  day  was 
Thursday,  the  day  on  the  evening  of  which  Melun's 
various  friends  met  at  the  pseudo  working-man's 
club  at  Limehouse. 


THE    CRIME     CLUB 

Immediately  he  resolved  that  he  would  go  there 
that  very  night. 

Rough  men  had  no  terrors  for  him;  during  his 
life  in  the  West  he  had  dealt  with  rougher  men 
than  Melun  had  ever  been  called  on  to  handle.  He 
laughed  as  he  thought  of  the  possibilities  of  dom- 
inating such  a  collection  of  scoundrels  as  he  had 
seen  on  his  first  visit  to  "  The  Club." 

Then  he  bethought  him  of  Mr.  Rookley,  and  he 
reflected  that  if  the  mills  of  Scotland  Yard,  like  the 
mills  of  God,  ground  exceedingly  slowly,  they 
ground  uncommonly  fine. 

It  may  be  an  easy  thing  to  detect  that  one  is 
shadowed  by  a  large  man  with  large  boots.  But, 
none  the  less,  it  is  sufficiently  disconcerting  to  find 
that  the  large  boots  follow  one's  footsteps  persist- 
ently and  doggedly.  Scotland  Yard  wears  down  a 
man  by  sheer  weight. 

Westerham  knew,  too,  that  he  had  so  aroused 
the  interest  of  the  authorities  that  they  would  do 
their  best  to  watch  his  every  movement.  Nor  was 
he  wrong. 

He  realised,  therefore,  that  it  would  be  folly  for 
him  to  proceed  straight  from  Bruton  Street  to  the 
East  End.  Never  in  his  life  had  he  feared  any 
man,  nor  had  he  ever  before  been  compelled  to  face 
the  contingency  of  throwing  off  pursuers — ^and 
those  pursuers  the  representatives  of  law  and  or- 
der. 

However,  the  prospect  of  for  once  being  the  pur- 
sued rather  than  the  pursuer  to  some  extent  tickled 
his  fancy;  he  resolved  to  try  his  'prentice  hand  at 
evasion  by  secretly  making  his  way  from  Bruton 
Street  to  Walter's  Hotel. 


THE    CRIME     CLUB  123 

Walter's,  he  imagined,  would  be  probably  safe 
from  observation  for  that  night  at  least.  Rookley 
had  practically  told  Sir  Paul  that  he  did  not  know 
where  he  went  when  he  was  not  in  Bruton  Street. 

First  Westerham  called  in  Blyth  and  questioned 
him  pretty  closely;  he  satisfied  himself,  however, 
that  whatever  the  man  might  think  of  his  master's 
methods  of  life  he  was  at  least  faithful. 

Westerham,  indeed,  resolved  to  trust  him  a  great 
deal  more  than  he  had  done  up  to  then,  and  told 
him,  without  any  disguise,  that  he  strongly  sus- 
pected that  Bruton  Street  was  at  that  moment  be- 
ing watched.  Casually,  and  without  the  slightest 
demonstration  of  surprise,  the  valet  thereupon  sug- 
gested that  it  would  be  just  as  well  for  Westerham 
to  change  his  dress  before  he  left  the  flat. 

This  he  did,  and  afterwards  sent  the  porter  for 
a  taxicab.  Into  this  he  jumped  as  soon  as  it  ar- 
rived, telling  the  man  to  drive  to  Tumham 
Green. 

And  long  before  they  reached  that  distant  part 
of  London,  Westerham  convinced  himself  that  even 
had  he  been  pursued  at  all  he  had  certainly  out- 
distanced the  pursuers. 

From  Turnham  Green  he  took  the  District  Rail- 
way to  Earl's  Court.  Alighting  there,  he  walked 
to  South  Kensington,  where  he  again  took  the 
train,  on  this  occasion  booking  straight  through  to 
iWhitechapel. 

From  St.  Mary's,  Whitechapel,  he  turned  south, 
and  plunging  through  a  maze  of  little  streets  came 
on  foot  to  Limehouse  at  about  nine  o'clock. 

He  had  little  difficulty  in  finding  the  "  Cut,"  and 
walking  briskly  down  it,  came  to  the  little  space 


1^  THE    CRIME    CLUB  . 

where  the  tall,  four-storeyed  building  was  set  back 
from  the  roadway. 

Always  quick  to  observe  detail,  he  had  not  only 
noticed  but  he  recollected  Melun's  peculiar  rap.  So 
three  times  he  knocked  slowly,  and  again  three 
times  slowly,  and  then  three  times  in  quick  succes- 
sion. 

As  on  the  former  occasion,  the  door  swung  open 
at  once,  and  the  hideous  face  of  the  negro  he  had 
treated  so  cavalierly  before  peered  at  him  from 
the  darkness. 

The  nigger  peered  eagerly  about  as  though  seek- 
ing for  Melun,  and  when  he  saw  that  Westerham 
stood  there  alone,  made  as  though  to  slam  the  door 
on  him. 

But  Westerham  was  too  quick  for  him,  and 
thrust  his  heavy-booted  foot  into  the  opening  and 
laughed  in  the  negro's  face. 

The  negro  cursed  him  roundly  and  demanded 
what  he  wanted. 

"Let  me  in,"  said  Westerham,  quietly,  "and  I 
will  explain." 

Most  unwillingly  the  negro  opened  the  door,  and 
Westerham,  entering  the  passage,  looked  the  black 
squarely  in  the  eyes. 

"  I  fancy  that  it  is  none  of  your  business  to  in- 
quire what  I  want  ?  "  he  said.  "  I  was  brought 
here  by  Captain  Melun  and  properly  introduced,  if 
such  is  the  term  you  use.  And  my  affairs  at 
the  present  moment  are  with  the  gentlemen  of 
the  club.  I  will  thank  you  to  take  me  there  at 
once." 

The  negro  gave  him  an  ugly  look. 

"Did  Captain  Melun  send    you?"  he  asked. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  125 

"Mind  your  own  business,"  retorted  Wester- 
ham,  sharply.  "  Lead  the  way.  I  shall  say  what  I 
have  to  say  to  my  friends. 

"  Don't  play  the  fool,"  he  added  as  the  man  still 
looked  doubtful.  "  What  do  you  take  me  for?  A 
'tec'?  If  I  were,  do  you  think  I  should  be  ass 
enough  to  come  here  alone  and  ask  to  be  shown 
into  that  crowd?" 

The  negro  grinned  as  much  as  to  say  that  he 
thought  him  an  ass  in  any  case,  but  he  led  the  way 
down  the  passage  none  the  less. 

They  passed  through  the  opium  den  as  before, 
and  then  it  seemed  that  the  negro  purposely  made 
no  disturbance  in  order  that  Westerham's  entrance 
might  have  a  proper  dramatic  effect. 

He  was  right  in  his  estimation  of  the  confusion 
it  would  cause. 

If  one  may  so  term  it,  the  parliament  of  scoun- 
drels was  in  full  session.  The  long  trestle  table  was 
in  the  centre  of  the  room,  and  at  one  end  of  it  sat 
the  bullet-headed  man,  while  at  the  other  was  the 
young  ruffian  whom  Westerham  knew  by  the  name 
of  Crow. 

It  was  evidently  Crow,  too,  who  was  in  supreme 
command. 

The  bullet-headed  man  rose  up  and  stared  at  Wes- 
terham with  starting  eyes.  The  other  men  fol- 
lowed his  gaze  and  leapt  to  their  feet  with  cries 
and  oaths. 

Crow,  of  the  vicious  eyes  and  the  hawk-like  nose 
and  the  large,  brutal  hands,  alone  seemed  undis- 
mayed. 

The  negro,  having  waited  just  sufficiently  long 

te  watch  the  sensation  caused  by  Westerham's  en- 


1^6  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

trance,  had  slipped  out  of  the  club-room  on  silent 
feet. 

Crow,  in  a  quick,  hard  voice,  cried,  "The 
door!" 

Instantly,  as  though  their  stations  had  by  pre- 
vious arrangements  been  allotted  them — as  was  in- 
deed the  case — two  men  jumped  from  their  seats 
and  put  their  backs  against  the  door.  As  they 
stood  there  they  drew  their  knives,  and  on  taking 
a  step  forward  Westerham  found  himself  cut  off 
from  retreat  and  facing  the  angry  eyes  of  quite  a 
score  of  men. 

Two  of  them  had  pulled  out  revolvers,  but  Crow 
caught  their  action  with  quick  and  angry  eyes. 

"  Don't  be  fools,"  he  said ;  "  put  those  barkers 
away.    We  want  no  noise  down  here." 

Sullenly  the  men  obeyed. 

"  Come  to  the  table,  Mr.  Robinson,"  said  Crow, 
in  a  manner  which  suggested  he  had  no  doubt  that 
his  instructions  would  be  followed,  "and  explain 
what  this  intrusion  means." 

Westerham  laughed  and  drew  away  from  the 
men  with  the  knives.  He  walked  easily  down  to 
the  table  to  the  place  which  had  been  vacated  by 
the  bullet-headed  man,  and  without  so  much  as  a 
word  of  apology  took  that  plump  and  furious  per- 
son's seat. 

He  looked  easily  and  almost  lazily  along  the  lines 
of  vicious  faces  until  his  gaze  finally  rested  on 
Crow. 

"I  understood,"  he  said,  in  a  pleasant  voice, 
"  that  after  my  introduction  the  other  night  I  was 
at  liberty  to  come  here  when  I  pleased." 

"Unfortunately,"  said  Crow,  "you  have  made 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  127 

a  mistake.    We  had  no  desire  to  see  you  then,  much 
less  had  we  any  wish  to  set  eyes  on  you  again." 

"  I  should  think  not ! "  blared  the  bullet-headed 
man. 

From  the  rest  of  the  men  came  murmurs  and 
angry  words. 

"  My  visit,"  said  Westerham,  "  should  be  of  con- 
siderable interest  to  you  all.  It  is  also  of  consider- 
able interest  to  myself,  as  it  proves  that  you  act 
independently  of  Melun.  I  understood  from  him 
that  you  held  no  council  unless  he  was  with 
you." 

"Are  you  his  cursed  spy?"  cried  the  man  on 
his  right,  rising  from  his  seat  and  bringing  his  fist 
down  with  a  bang  on  the  table. 

"  No,"  said  Westerham,  looking  the  man  straight 
in  the  face,  "  I  am  not." 

"  Sit  down.  Smith ! "  shouted  Crow. 

The  man  sat  down. 

"Now,  my  pretty  gentleman,"  Crow  went  on, 
"we  have  had  enough  of  you,  just  as  we  have  had 
enough  of  Melun,  who  has  brought  you  into  this 
business  for  no  good  so  far  as  we  are  concerned, 
and  we  do  not  propose  that  matters  should  go  any 
further ;  in  fact,  it  is  rather  handy  that  you  thought 
of  coming  down  East  to  us,  as  otherwise  we  should 
have  come  up  West  to  you." 

"  Indeed,"  said  Westerham,  who  was  still  smil- 
ing at  Crow. 

**Yes,"  Crow  went  on,  "you  have  saved  us  a 
great  deal  of  trouble.  You  are  a  cool  hand,  Mr. 
Robinson,  but  we  are  just  as  cool.  This  spot  was 
not  chosen  for  its  beauty ;  it  was  chosen  for  its  ad- 
vantages." 


U8  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

At  this  some  of  the  men  laughed  coarsely,  while 
several  of  them  swore. 

"Melun's  kid-glove  business  is  all  very  well  in 
its  way.  It  has  made  a  bit  of  money  in  its  time, 
but  it  seems  to  us — we  were  just  discussing  the 
matter  to-night — that  we  can  do  pretty  well  with- 
out the  captain  and  his  swells  up  West. 

"  It  is  a  long  time  since  his  nice  West  End  pals 
brought  any  grist  to  our  mill,  and  we  don't  pro- 
pose to  go  on  like  this  for  ever. 

"  What  brought  matters  to  a  head  was  your 
arrival.  We  can  stand  a  good  deal,  and  we  can 
wait  a  good  deal.  We  are  financed  now  and  again 
by  men  whom  we  never  set  eyes  on,  and,  according 
to  Melun,  we  pay  them  a  pretty  rate  of  interest  for 
our  share  of  the  work,  but  that  is  neither  here  nor 
there.  What  we  do  object  to — and  what  you  will 
find  we  object  to  to  the  extent  of  putting  an  end  to 
it — is  the  importation  of  Yankee  swankers  from 
the  States." 

Westerham  raised  a  protesting  hand,  but  Crow 
did  not  heed  him. 

"  Oh,  it  is  no  use  your  objecting,"  he  said ;  "  we 
can  read  you  like  a  book.  Things  have  been  worse 
ever  since  your  arrival.  Melun  has  practically 
never  been  near  us  so  that  we  have  been  left  to  our 
own  resources.  Well,  we  don't  mind  that;  but  we 
will  see  that  the  resources  are  such  as  we  like." 

He  laughed  a  jarring  laugh. 

"Now  you  may  be  as  bad  as  the  worst  of  us, 
and  it  may  be  you  won't  stick  at  much ;  and  it  may 
be  that  you  have  in  that  clever  head  a  thousand 
ways  of  keeping  us  in  funds.  I  should  say  by  the 
look  of  you,  you  had. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  129 

"  But  I  should  say,  too,  that  you  were  one  of 
the  mean  breed,  who  keeps  things  to  himself.  You 
are  too  much  class  for  us.  We  don't  suit  your 
book,  and  so  we  can  rot  while  you  and  Melun 
spend  the  dibs  up  West.  Now,  that's  not  good 
enough." 

Crow  looked  round  the  table,  the  men  nodded, 
and  he  continued: — 

"  We  are  going  to  end  it  here  and  now.  Mark 
you,  Mr.  High-and-Mighty,  we  owe  you  one  grudge 
already.  We  did  not  go  looking  after  you  to  in- 
terfere with  your  pleasures,  which  probably  are  a 
deal  worse  than  ours.  In  the  same  way,  we  do  not 
allow  any  interference  with  what  we  do  down 
here. 

"  It's  a  thing  which  Melun  himself  never  dares 
to  do,  and  why  should  you  ?  It's  more  than  we  can 
stand.  I  am  talking  about  those  girls  the  other 
night." 

Westerham  was  still  smiling  with  his  eyes  hard 
and  bright.  "  Perhaps,"  he  said,  "  you  had  better 
let  me  inform  you  that  if  I  found  the  same  state 
of  things  going  on  to-night  I  should  interfere 
again." 

Some  of  the  men  stared  in  astonishment  at  his 
audacity.     Crow's  face  went  white  with  passion. 

"  Would  you,  my  beauty  ?  I  don't  think  you 
.would." 

Then  in  a  flash  he  had  drawn  a  six-shooter  from 
his  pocket  and  yelled  "  Hands  up ! " 

Westerham  laughed  outright.  Unless  he  should 
so  lose  control  over  himself  as  to  act  foolishly  he 
knew  that  Crow  would  not  fire.  He  had  already 
told  two  men  that  they  wanted  no  firing  that  night. 


180  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

So,  instead  of  putting  his  hands  up,  he  folded 
them  placidly  on  the  table. 

"Put  that  thing  away,"  he  said  quietly,  "until 
you  explain  precisely  what  you  intend  to  do." 

Crow  lowered  his  weapon  but  kept  it  on  the 
table.    He  even  laughed  a  hard,  short  laugh. 

"  Well,  you  are  a  good  plucked  'un  at  any  rate," 
he  said,  "  and  as  your  number's  up,  and  dead  men 
tell  no  tales,  I  don't  see  why  I  shouldn't  oblige  you. 

"You  think,"  he  continued,  making  an  attempt 
to  imitate  Westerham's  cool,  ofif-hand  way  of 
speech,  "  that  this  is  a  working-man's  club. 

"Well,  it  is  not  exactly  that.  It  is  a  club,  sure 
enough,  with  pretty  fixed  rules — rules  which,  if 
broken,  may  result  in  a  man's  light  being  put  out. 

"  The  same  may  be  said  of  anyone  who  offends 
us.     You  have  offended  us. 

"  Now,  though  Melun  comes  in  through  *  The 
Cut,*  we  come  in  the  other  way.  No  one  in  Lon- 
don except  the  members  of  this  club  know  that 
there  are  two  entrances.  We  come  in  by  the  main 
door,  and  that  gives  on  to  a  path  which  runs  by  a 
handy  canal. 

"  Shooting  is  noisy,  and  knives  mean  messy 
work.  Strangling  is  just  as  simple  and  just  as 
easy,  and,  with  the  clothes  off  you,  and  with  a  good 
lead  weight  on  your  feet,  there'd  not  be  much 
chance  of  your  disappearance  ever  being  traced  to 
this  place." 

He  stared  at  Westerham  with  a  fixed  beast-like 
glare. 

Westerham,  however,  with  his  hands  still  folded 
placidly  on  the  table,  was  smiling  blandly. 

"  Allow  me,"  he  said,  seeing  that  Crow  had  made 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  131 

an  end  of  speaking,  "to  congratulate  you  on  a  very 
pretty  little  programme — ^but  a  programme  which, 
I  fear,  is  hardly  likely  to  be  carried  out  to- 
night." 

"  Str'vvth,"  cried  a  man,  craning  across  the 
table  towards  Westerham,  "  are  you  a  copper's 
nark?    Have  you  put  the  police  on  us?" 

Half  a  dozen  men  rose  from  their  seats  and 
looked  with  scared  faces  at  Crow. 

Crow,  somewhat  to  Westerham's  admiration, 
kept  his  head. 

"  See  to  the  door,"  he  said. 

Two  other  men  rose,  and  going  to  Westerham's 
side  of  the  long  room,  opened  the  door  leading  into 
a  little  porch;  through  this  they  went  out  on  to 
the  footpath  by  the  canal  and  peered  cautiously  up 
and  down. 

Presently  they  came  back  shaking  their  heads. 

"  Have  another  look,"  said  Crow.  "  Search  a 
little  further." 

The  two  men  went  out  again,  and  in  the  complete 
silence  which  now  prevailed  their  footsteps  could 
be  heard  through  the  open  door  pacing  up  and 
down  the  path. 

Returning,  they  reported  that  everything  was 
quiet. 

"  Very  well,"  said  Crow,  "  but,  all  the  same,  you 
had  better  get  to  your  posts." 

The  two  men  went  out  once  more  and  closed  the 
door  after  them. 

"Bluff!"  said  Crow,  insolently,  to  Westerham, 
"just  bluff.  But  you  cannot  come  bluff  on  us,  for 
all  your  Yankee  smartness." 

"  No,"  said  Westerham ;  and  his  face  was  still 


132  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

the  face  of  a  man  who  is  immensely  amused  and  in- 
terested. 

"What  are  you  grinning  at?"  snarled  Crow. 

"  I  was  grinning  because,  whatever  you  may  con- 
trive to  do  to  me,  it  struck  me  as  being  rather 
funny  that  one  man  in  a  place  like  this  should 
manage  to  scare  so  many." 

Crow's  hand  gripped  the  handle  of  his  re- 
volver. 

"That  will  do,"  said  Westerham,  growing  sud- 
denly serious,  for  he  realised  that  while  the  men 
were  posted  at  either  end  of  the  canal-path  there 
was  just  a  chance  that  Crow  might  risk  the  noise 
of  firearms. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Crow,"  Westerham  continued,  "  I 
have  allowed  you  to  say  a  good  deal  and  insult  me 
very  considerably.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  do  not 
happen  to  be  an  American — not  that  that  makes 
very  much  difference.  Who  I  am  and  where  I 
come  from  is  no  concern  of  yours.  And  I  don't 
propose  to  tell  you. 

"  I  propose  to  tell  you  something  else,  though, 
and  I  regret  to  say  that  it  is  a  tale  of  breach  of 
faith — of  a  breach  of  faith  committed  by  a  mem- 
ber of  what  you  are  pleased  to  call  'the  club.' " 

The  men  looked  at  each  other. 

"  The  name  of  the  offending  member,"  said  Wes- 
terham, slowly  and  deliberately,  "is  Melun." 

At  the  mention  of  this  name  most  of  the  men 
broke  out  into  volleys  of  cursing;  but  Westerham 
held  up  his  hand  for  silence. 

"  I  entered  into  a  certain  agreement  with  Melun 
on  certain  terms,"  he  said.  "  Is  it  news  to  you  that 
the  price  I  offered  for  his  services  and  for  the  serv- 


THIi    CRIME    CLUB  1^3 

ices  of  yourselves  was  a  hundred  thousand 
pounds  ?  " 

"  Good  Heavens ! "  Crow  exclaimed,  and  then  sat 
muttering  to  himself. 

The  rest  of  the  men  were  too  astonished  to 
speak. 

"  You  are  a  liar ! "  shouted  Crow. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  Westerham,  "  I  am  no  liar, 
as  I  am  quite  prepared  to  prove  to  you.  Now  I 
have  every  intention,  provided  that  Melun  holds 
good  to  his  promise,  of  handing  him  over  that 
sum.  I  simply  tell  you  this  in  order  that  you  may 
see  to  it  that  you  get  your  proper  shares." 

"  You  liar !  "  exclaimed  Crow  again. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  Westerham,  "  but  you  really 
are  mistaken." 

He  put  his  hand  into  his  breast  and  pulled  out  a 
pocket-book. 

"  Here,"  he  said,  "  I  have  the  sum  of  ten  thou- 
sand pounds  in  notes." 

Drawing  them  out,  he  flung  them  carelessly  on 
the  table. 

So  utterly  were  the  men  lost  in  amazement  that 
they  could  do  nothing  but  stare  in  silence  at  the 
notes. 

"  Now,  I  may  as  well  be  quite  frank,"  Wester- 
ham went  on,  "  and  tell  you  that  I  have  not  the 
slightest  intention  of  handing  those  notes  over  to 
you.  Nor,  for  that  matter,  do  I  intend  having 
them  stolen. 

"  You  might  take  them  from  me,  but  you  would 
merely  have  to  destroy  them,  for  I  have  taken  the 
precaution  of  informing  the  bank  that  all  these 
notes  have  been  lost.    I  can  well  afford  to  let  such 


1^4i  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

a  sum  as  this  lie  idle  for  a  time,  and  the  numbers 
were  posted  this  afternoon." 

"  Good  Heavens !  "  said  Crow  once  more. 

"  Now,"  Westerham  continued  as  evenly  as  ever, 
"  I  hope  that  this,  to  some  extent,  proves  that  what 
I  say  is  true." 

Some  of  the  men  nodded  assent. 

"  Well,"  said  Westerham,  looking  about  him,  "  I 
will  take  it  for  granted  that  you  are  prepared  to 
believe  me.    So  far  so  good." 

"I  have  now  to  tell  you  that  Captain  Melun  is 
at  the  present  moment  engaged  in  a  deal  of  the 
most  stupendous  proportions.  He  has  mentioned 
to  me  that  the  sum  he  hopes  to  net  is  over  a  quar- 
ter of  a  million." 

He  paused  and  looked  round  at  the  men  again. 
They  continued  to  stare  at  him  open-mouthed,  re- 
maining entirely  silent.  They  were  beyond  all 
speech. 

Glancing  at  Crow,  Westerham  saw  with  satisfac- 
tion that  he  was  evidently  much  amazed  and  begin- 
ning to  look  uneasy. 

**  Well,  gentlemen,"  Westerham  continued,  "  it  is 
unnecessary  for  me  to  mention  the  names  of  the 
people  whp  are  assisting  Captain  Melun  in  this  en- 
terprise. I  really  believe  that  they  don't  even  know 
what  the  enterprise  is.  But  there  is  an  exception. 
One  of  them  does  know,  because  the  business  may 
involve  dirtier  work  than  Melun  may  care  to  do 
with  his  own  hands." 

Westerham  paused,  and  saw  that  Crow's  face 
was  as  pale  as  ashes. 

Again  his  intuition  proved  to  be  correct. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  cried,  rising,  and  pointing  an 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  136 

accusing  finger  at  Crow,  "  that  is  the  man  who 
knows ! " 

"  It's  a  lie ! "  shrieked  Crow ;  *'  it's  a  lie !  It  is 
only  a  matter  of  ten  thousand  pounds.  Melun 
swore  it  to  me." 

In  the  silence  that  followed  Westerham  laughed 
loud  and  long. 

*'  Gentlemen,"  he  said  at  last,  "  I  ask  you  if  ever 
a  man  more  completely  condemned  himself  out  of 
his  own  mouth  ?  " 

Now  the  tide  of  anger  turned  and  swept  towards 
Crow. 

There  was  a  great  clamour,  while  the  men,  with 
curses,  shouted  at  him  for  an  explanation. 

Then  above  the  hubbub  there  came  a  loud  knock- 
ing, and  turning  in  the  direction  of  the  sound  they 
saw  Melun,  smiling  and  pleasant-looking  as  ever, 
pounding  on  the  floor  with  his  stick,  while  the 
negro  stood  behind  him,  grinning  over  his  shoul- 
der. 

Instantly  silence  fell  again. 

"  Now,  then,"  called  Melun,  coolly,  "  be  quiet, 
all  of  you.  Be  quiet  at  once.  We  have  been  be- 
trayed, and  the  man  who  has  betrayed  us  is  there !  " 

For  some  seconds  the  men  looked  from  Wester- 
ham to  Melun,  and  then  from  Melun  to  Wester- 
ham. But  the  power  of  their  old  allegiance  held 
good,  and  before  he  could  utter  a  sound  Wester- 
ham was  seized  and  borne  savagely  to  the  floor. 

When  he  found  himself  pinned  to  the  ground 
Westerham  made  not  the  slightest  attempt  to  strug- 
gle. He  had  been  in  similar  predicaments  before, 
and  knew  that  a  policy  gf  passive  resistance  was 
best. 


136  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

And,  just  as  he  had  expected,  when  he  made  no 
effort  to  release  himself  the  men  partially  relaxed 
their  hold  of  him.  Two  of  them,  indeed,  dragged 
him  into  a  sitting  posture. 

By  this  time  Melun  had  taken  his  place  at  the 
head  of  the  long  table,  and  was  rapping  on  the 
bare  boards  for  order  and  for  silence. 

**  Two  of  you  are  enough  there,"  he  said.  **  The 
rest  of  you  get  back  to  your  seats." 

The  men  followed  his  instructions  hastily  and 
almost  sheepishly. 

When  they  were  all  seated  again,  Melun  looked 
down  their  ranks  sharply  and  a  little  furtively. 


CHAPTER   XI 

MURDER   MYSTERIOUS 

Melun's  glance  down  the  ranks  of  the  men  satis- 
fied him  that  he  had  things  well  in  hand. 

The  bullet-headed  man  was  shifting  about  on 
his  seat,  and  Crow  sat  with  a  pasty  face,  twisting 
and  bending  his  great,  brutal  fingers. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Melun,  almost  politely,  "  I 
expect  you  feel  that  some  explanation  is  due  from 
me." 

The  majority  of  the  men  nodded  in  a  surly  way. 

"  Well,"  Melun  continued,  "  the  explanation  is 
simplicity  itself.     I  have  been  duped  by  that  man." 

Again  he  pointed  to  Westerham. 

"  He  introduced  himself  to  me,"  he  went  on,  "  as 
a  colleague  in  our  own  particular  line  of  business, 
and  suggested  certain  schemes  to  me.  Some  of 
them  appeared  to  me  to  be  good,  but  I  may  as  well 
tell  you  that  they  were  at  the  moment  of  no  use  to 
me,  as  I  had  on  hand  a  piece  of  business  which,  if  I 
had  pulled  it  off,  would  have  enabled  us  to  rest  on 
our  laurels  for  a  considerable  period." 

At  this  point  Melun  laughed  to  himself.  Wes- 
terham was  sitting  bolt  upright  on  the  floor,  with 
every  evidence  of  the  closest  attention.  He  was 
of  half  a  mind  to  call  Melun  a  liar  there  and  then, 
but  he  knew  that  the  greater  the  lies,  and  the  more 
the  lies,  the  easier  he  could  refute  them.  So  he 
let  Melun  run  on  without  protest. 

"  Yes,"  continued  the  captain,  "  it  was  a  very 
1S7 


1S8  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

great  piece  of  business  indeed,  so  important  a 
piece  of  business  that  it  was  necessary  to  keep  it 
from  even  my  most  intimate  friends  and  helpers. 
There  was  nothing  unusual  in  this,  for,  as  you 
know,  I  have  often  conducted  campaigns  without 
letting  you  into  my  secrets  until  success  had  been 
assured. 

"  On  this  occasion,  considering  the  position  of 
the  person  I  was  assailing,  the  strictest  secrecy  was 
necessary.  I  didn't  even  inform  the  kind  friend 
who  finances  us  what  I  was  about.  I  didn't  even 
tell  Crow  of  my  movements,  though  I  had  in- 
formed him  that  something  out  of  the  common  was 
in  view. 

"However,  with  the  appearance  of  that  man 
whom  you  now  see  convicted  as  a  traitor,  there 
was  introduced  into  our  affairs  a  certain  element — 
treachery  and  suspicion. 

"  One  never  knows,"  Melun  went  on  with  calm 
mendacity,  "  of  what  one  may  be  accused ;  and  I 
therefore  took  the  precaution  to  inform  at  least  one 
of  you  of  what  I  was  about,  lest  it  should  be 
charged  against  me  that  I  was  playing  the  rest  of 
you  false. 

"  The  man  to  whom  I  spoke  of  this  matter  was 
Patmore.     Patmore,  be  good  enough  to  stand  up." 

Patmore  rose  and  glanced  uneasily  at  his  chief. 

"  Be  so  kind  as  to  repeat,  as  accurately  as  you 
can,  what  I  told  you,"  Melun  ordered  him. 

Patmore  began  to  speak  rapidly,  and  with  what, 
to  a  keen  observer,  might  have  seemed  a  some- 
what parrot-like  air. 

"  You  told  me,"  he  said,  looking  at  Melun,  "  that 
this  was  a  matter  of  blackmail." 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  139 

He  spoke  quite  unblushingly,  as  though  such  a 
business  was  an  every-day  affair,  which,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  it  was. 

"  You  told  me,"  he  continued,  "  that  the  person 
to  be  blackmailed  occupied  a  high  position  in  the 
State,  and  that  it  was  so  necessary  for  him  to  pur- 
chase our  silence  that  he  would  pay  practically  any 
price. 

"  You  mentioned  a  quarter  of  a  million,  of 
which  you  yourself  proposed  to  take  fifty  thou- 
sand pounds,  dividing  the  rest  of  the  money 
among  us.  You  also  took  the  oath  of  the  club 
before  me  and  declared  that  whatever  might  be 
said  to  the  contrary  you  were  determined  to  play 
fair. 

"  You  further  said  that  it  was  absolutely  impos- 
sible to  reveal  any  details  of  the  scheme  to  me,  as, 
should  anyone  know  of  the  matter  besides  your- 
self, discovery  would  be  inevitable. 

"  In  fact,  you  declared  that  it  was  the  most  dif- 
ficult, and  at  the  same  time  the  boldest,  piece  of 
work  that  you  had  ever  attempted." 

Patmore  stopped  abruptly  in  his  recitation. 

"  And  that,  gentlemen,"  said  Melun,  nodding  to- 
wards the  men,  "is  absolutely  true. 

**  It  is  also  true,"  he  continued,  "  that  to  win 
this  vast  amount  of  money  it  was  necessary  to  lay 
out  a  certain  amount  of  capital.  I  hadn't  the 
money  on  hand,  and  it  was  inadvisable  to  approach 
the  usual  sources. 

*'  I  trusted " — and  there  was  an  increased  bit- 
terness in  his  voice — "  I  trusted  this  man  Robinson. 

"  But,  would  you  believe  me,  gentlemen,  I  have 
just  discovered  that  he  is  not  Robinson  at  all,  nor 


140  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

Smith,  nor  Jones — nor  anyone,  indeed,  of  small  im- 
portance in  this  world? 

"  Now,  gentlemen,  it  would  be  inadvisable  at 
this  moment  to  tell  you  precisely  who  he  is,  but  one 
thing  I  may  tell  you,  and  that  is  that  he  is  a  gen- 
tleman of  title,  and  a  man  of  wealth  and  position." 

The  men  turned  their  wondering  gaze  on  Wes- 
terham. 

"  Now,  for  what  purpose  do  you  suppose  that  a 
man  of  title,  of  wealth  and  position  is  mixing  him- 
self up  with  our  affairs?" 

Melun  paused  for  a  few  minutes,  and  watched 
with  satisfaction  intelligence  dawn  on  the  stupid, 
brutal  faces  before  him,  which  stared  first  at  him- 
self in  amazement,  and  then  gloomily  and  savagely 
at  Westerham. 

Westerham,  however,  to  their  further  astonish- 
ment, was  laughing  quietly,  his  teeth  bared  in  quite 
an  amused  and  pleasant  smile. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  Melun  continued,  "  it  is  one 
of  our  unbreakable  rules  that  all  traitors  must  die. 
Therefore,  anyone  who  is  likely  to  betray  us  must 
die  also. 

"  From  what  I  know  of  this  man,"  he  went  on, 
"  he  will  be  too  proud  to  purchase  his  freedom.  In 
short,  not  to  put  too  fine  a  point  on  it,  we  cannot 
bleed  him,  though  his  wealth  is  enormous.  I  fancy 
it  runs  into  millions." 

Little  cries  of  wonderment  and  anger  broke  from 
the  glowering  men  round  the  table. 

Westerham  laughed  aloud. 

"  In  fact,"  cried  Melun,  "  though  I  much  regret 
the  necessity  of  having  to  take  such  a  step,  I  am 
afraid  this  gentleman's  last  hour  has  arrived. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  141 

*'  His  death,"  he  added  quietly,  "  will  be  carried 
out  by  the  usual  means." 

Crow  started  eagerly  from  his  chair. 

"Is  it  to  be  done  at  once?  "  he  asked. 

"At  once,"  said  Melun. 

All  this  time,  though  he  had  laughed  now  and 
again  and  never  ceased  to  smile  a  bold,  amused 
smile,  Westerham's  quick  brain  was  taking  in  every 
word  and  watching  for  some  means  of  deliverance. 
He  saw  that  he  was  in  an  extremely  tight  corner, 
but  he  did  not  doubt  his  ability  to  find  a  way  out. 

The  two  men  who  were  acting  as  his  warders 
suddenly  seized  his  hands,  and  before  he  quite 
realised  his  position  Westerham  found  himself 
handcuffed. 

Still,  however,  he  made  no  resistance. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  cried,  raising  his  voice  so  that 
it  rang  through  the  room  and  dominated  all  who 
were  gathered  there,  "gentlemen,  a  man  is  usually 
permitted  to  say  something  when  he  has  been  con- 
demned to  death.  I  make  no  quarrel  with  your 
decision.  If  I  were  in  your  place  I  should  prob- 
ably do  the  same  myself  by  another  man  as  you 
are  doing  by  me. 

"  I  don't  wish  to  dispute  your  decision,  much  less 
do  I  wish  to  plead  for  mercy.  Melun  has  de- 
nounced me  for  the  simple  reason  that  I  have  the 
misfortune  to  be  a  gentleman.  Well,  gentlemen 
have  a  habit  of  dying  as  such. 

"  I  trust  I  shall  be  no  exception  to  the  rule,  but 
still,  before  you  carry  out  your  kind  intentions,  I 
should  like  to  say  something  to  Melun." 

"  Bring  him  to  the  table,"  said  Melun.  He 
looked  uneasily  at  Westerham  and  avoided  the 


142  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

steadiness  of  his  glance.  He  felt  that  the  moment 
was  an  awkward  one.  It  was  unwise  to  allow 
Westerham  to  speak;  on  the  other  hand,  it  would 
have  been  folly  to  deny  him  the  privilege. 

"Well,  what  is  it?"  he  demanded  sharply  as 
Westerham  stepped  up  to  the  table  and  leant  his 
manacled  hands  on  it. 

Westerham  bent  forward  over  the  table  as  far 
as  he  could  and  looked  Melun  straight  in  the  face. 

"  You  will  not  strangle  me,"  he  said  in  a  very 
quiet  voice,  "because  they  are  not  where  they 

WERE." 

Melun  turned  pale  as  ashes,  and  seemed  to  shrink 
in  his  seat. 

"  Good  Heavens,  man,  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  he 
cried. 

Once  again  the  men  were  glancing  stupidly  from 
Westerham  to  Melun,  and  back  from  Melun  to 
Westerham. 

"  I  repeat,"  said  Westerham,  more  pointedly 
than  before,   "that  they  are   not  where  they 

WERE." 

There  was  a  long  and  uncomfortable  pause  while 
Melun  sat  rigid  in  his  chair  biting  his  nails. 

Westerham  had  made  a  long  shot,  and  had  found 
the  mark. 

He  had  argued  that  Melun's  control  over  the 
Premier  was  due  to  the  illegal  possession  of  some 
of  Lord  Penshurst's  papers,  though  he  did  not 
know  whom  these  papers  might  concern  nor  where 
Melun  had  placed  them. 

Certainly  the  captain  had  not  hidden  them  in  his 
own  rooms,  nor  in  the  rooms  of  any  of  his  confed- 
erates; for  without  a  doubt  if  Lord  Penshurst  had 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  143 

not  scrupled  to  burgle  Westerham's  flat,  he  would 
not  scruple  to  ransack  the  houses  of  Melun  or  his 
friends. 

Indeed,  Westerham  guessed  that  the  hiding- 
place  must  be  a  very  strange  and  secret  one — so 
strange  and  so  secret  that  probably  only  the  subtle 
mind  of  Melun  could  have  conceived  it. 

Thus  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would 
cause  Melun  most  terrible  alarm  if  that  indi- 
vidual even  suspected  he  had  an  inkling  of  the 
whereabouts  of  the  papers.  Nor  was  he  mis- 
taken. 

Slowly  and  painfully  Melun  pulled  himself  to- 
gether. The  easy  confidence  which  had  marked  his 
manner  and  his  talk  a  few  moments  before  was 
now  utterly  gone.  He  was  a  broken,  almost  a 
cringing,  man;  and  Westerham  realised  that  Lord 
Penshurst  could  not  be  setting  any  fictitious  value 
on  the  stolen  papers. 

These  papers  could  Involve  no  mere  matter  of 
sentiment  or  personal  honour  or  pride.  Some 
colossal  undertaking  must  be  at  stake. 

It  was  also  obvious  to  Westerham  that  if  the 
papers  fell  into  strange  hands  the  consequences 
must  be  terrible  for  all  concerned.  For  the  anx- 
iety and  fear  on  Melun's  face  were  greater  than  the 
anxiety  and  fear  of  a  man  who  hazards  all  in  a 
great  stake  and  thinks  he  has  lost. 

Presently  Melun  got  unsteadily  out  of  his  chair 
and  came  round  the  table  to  Westerham. 

"  Stand  away  there ! "  he  said  to  the  two  men 
who  were  guarding  the  baronet.  "  Stand  away 
there!" 

The  men  fell  back,  and  Melun,  coming  close  up 


144  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

to  Westerham,  whispered  in  his  ear:  "What  do 
you  mean  that  *  they  are  not  where  they  were '  ? 
Do  you  mean  the  papers?" 

Westerham  nodded, 

"Where  are  they?"  Melun  whispered  again. 

"  I  dechne  to  say,"  said  Westerham. 

He  might  well  decline,  for  he  had  not  the  least 
idea. 

"  I  will  make  you  tell  me,  you  dog ! "  cried 
Melun. 

"  You  won't,"  answered  Westerham,  suavely. 

"  By  Heaven !  "  shouted  Melun,  "  but  I  will. 
There  are  more  unpleasant  things  done  in  this  place 
than  you  ever  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy.  The 
times  of  the  Inquisition  are  not  past  for  some  peo- 
ple." 

"It  will  take  a  little  more  than  you  to  frighten 
me,  you  cur,"  said  Westerham,  in  a  low  voice. 

Melun's  face  blazed  with  passion.  He  drew 
back  a  pace,  and  then  struck  Westerham  heavily 
across  the  mouth. 

On  his  part  Westerham  did  not  hesitate  for  a 
moment.  He  lifted  both  his  fettered  hands  and 
brought  his  steel-bound  wrists  down  with  a  crash 
on  Melun's  head;  and  the  captain  went  sprawling 
to  the  floor. 

"  Look  you  here,"  cried  Westerham  to  the  dumb- 
founded ruffians  who  stood  watching  the  scene  as 
though  they  were  chained  to  their  chairs.  "  Look 
you  here;  I  will  deal  with  men,  but  not  with  curs 
such  as  this." 

He  touched  Melun  with  his  boot. 

"  You  cannot  deny,"  he  continued,  purposely 
dropping  to  a  certain  extent  into  their  own  jargon, 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  145 

"  that  I  was  game.  I  was  prepared  to  die,  but  I  am 
not  prepared  to  be  struck  by  swine  like  this. 

"  Why,"  he  went  on,  turning  Melun's  prostrate 
body  over  with  his  foot,  "  he  is  a  har  through  and 
through. 

"Did  I  speak  the  truth  just  now  when  I  con- 
victed Crow  out  of  his  own  mouth?  I  did.  I 
proved  it.  And  surely  Melun  has  now  condemned 
himself  in  his  turn. 

"  Do  you  think  that  there  would  be  all  this  fuss 
over  a  bundle  of  papers  if  there  weren't  more  in 
the  matter  than  he  ever  intended  to  tell  you?  Not 
a  bit  of  it." 

The  men  murmured  angry  assent,  and  Wester- 
ham  felt  that  he  was  at  last  winning  through. 

"  Do  you  think,"  he  went  on  boldly,  "  that  I 
am  the  kind  of  man  who  deserves  to  be  tor- 
tured to  reveal  the  truth?  I  say  no;  and  so  will 
you."  ^ 

Again  the  men  nodded. 

"This  fellow  Melun  says  that  I  have  betrayed 
him  and  you.  Let  him  prove  it.  I  tell  him  that 
'the  papers  are  not  where  they  were.'  He  knows 
where  he  placed  them;  let  him  go  and  see.  I  am 
content  to  abide  here  until  he  returns." 

It  was  now  the  turn  of  the  bullet-headed  man  to 
speak. 

"  Get  him  to  his  feet,"  he  said,  pointing  to 
Melun. 

Melun  was  dragged  up,  dazed  and  bleeding. 

"  You  will  do  nothing  to  this  gentleman,"  said 
the  bullet-headed  man,  waving  his  hand  with  some 
deference  towards  Westerham,  "  until  you  have 
cleared   yourself.     You   will  have   to   see   if   the 


146  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

papers  are  gone.  But  you  don't  go  alone — not 
much !  " 

Then  Crow  spoke  up:  "Let  me  go  with  him," 
he  pleaded. 

The  bullet-headed  man  shook  his  head.  "You 
have  almost  as  much  to  answer  for  as  Melun,"  he 
objected. 

"  No,"  he  continued.  "  Ross  is  the  man.  We 
can  trust  Ross." 

Ross  came  forward  as  though  the  task  of  watch- 
ing Melun  was  not  an  unwelcome  one. 

"  Yes,  boys,"  he  said,  "  you  can  trust  me.  I  will 
go." 

"Then  pull  him  together  a  bit,"  ordered  the 
bullet-headed  man. 

Thereupon  they  roughly  plucked  Melun's  clothes 
into  shape,  sponged  his  face  clear  of  blood,  set  his 
hat  on  his  head,  and  put  his  stick  into  his  hand. 

By  this  time  he  had  practically  recovered  him- 
self. He  gave  one  quick  look  of  intense  hatred 
towards  Westerham  and  one  quick,  vindictive 
glance  in  the  direction  of  the  man  with  the  bullet 
head. 

"Very  well,"  he  said,  in  a  rather  shaky  voice. 
"If  it  must  be,  it  must  be.  You  are  fools  to  be- 
lieve your  enemy,  but  I  cannot  prevent  you.  If 
you  must  know  all,  you  will  probably  lose  all;  well 
■ — so  much  the  worse  for  you." 

He  jerked  his  waistcoat  down  and  assumed  a  cer- 
tain air  of  bravado.  In  spite  of  himself,  Wester- 
ham could  not  but  admire  the  man.  At  this  point 
Crow  urged  again  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  ac- 
company Melun.  Ross  made  no  objection,  and  he 
was  given  leave  to  go. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  147 

The  scoundrels  round  the  table  then  watched 
Melun  take  his  departure  with  Ross  and  Crow. 
The  room  was  very  quiet,  and  Westerham  could 
hear  the  men's  retreating  footsteps  along  the  path 
of  the  canal. 

When  they  had  quite  ceased  to  be  audible  Wes- 
terham turned  again  to  the  bullet-headed  man. 

"  How  long  do  you  suppose,"  he  asked,  "  we 
shall  have  to  wait?  " 

"  Heaven  knows,"  answered  the  fat  man,  with  a 
shrug. 

"  Then,  if  you  will  permit  me,"  said  Westerham, 
"  I  will  sit  down.  And,"  he  added,  "  I  should  be 
obliged  to  you  if  you  will  remove  these." 

He  stretched  out  his  handcuffed  wrists. 

One  of  the  men  laughed  and  knocked  them  off. 
Westerham  thanked  him  and  sat  down. 

Without  more  ado  he  took  out  his  cigarette-case 
and  lit  a  cigarette  As  he  smoked  he  turned  things 
rapidly  over  in  his  mind  He  was  perfectly  cer- 
tain that  Melun,  in  spite  of  his  protestations,  would 
not  reveal  the  whereabouts  of  the  papers.  Wester- 
ham even  doubted  whether  Melun  would  take  the 
trouble  to  lead  the  man  on  a  bogus  chase. 

For  some  reason  which  he  was  unable  to  account 
for  he  had  a  foreboding  of  coming  evil.  He  tried 
to  shake  it  off,  but  in  vain. 

Time  and  time  again  he  tried  to  think  matters 
out  and  decide  what  Melun's  probable  course  of  ac- 
tion would  be.  But  time  and  time  again  he  failed 
to  work  out  any  theory  which  satisfied  him. 

At  last,  when  half  an  hour  had  gone  by  and  the 
delay  was  becoming  irksome,  Westerham  spoke  up 
again. 


148  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  If  you  will  call  for  silence,"  he  said  to  the  bul- 
let-headed man,  "  there  is  something  else  I  would 
like  to  say." 

The  bullet-headed  man  called  at  once  for  order. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  Westerham,  addressing  the 
men  for  the  third  and  last  time  that  night,  "will 
you  allow  me  to  range  myself  on  your  side?  I 
really  think  I  have  proved  myself  sufficiently  a  man 
to  warrant  my  asking  this. 

"  I  will  not  take  your  oath,  but  if  you  will  take 
the  word  of  a  gentleman,  I  will  pledge  it  that, 
come  what  may,  I  will  never  reveal  to  anyone  what 
has  taken  place  to-night." 

There  was  considerable  grumbling  at  this,  but 
the  bullet-headed  man  forcibly  expressed  his  fa- 
vourable opinion. 

"  Look  here,  mates,"  he  cried,  turning  to  the 
others,  "  I  know  a  gentleman  when  I  see  one,  and 
I  know  that  this  gentleman  is  to  be  trusted.  If 
Melun  wants  to  do  his  own  dirty  work,  let  him  do 
it. 

"  In  spite  of  all  his  boasting  our  hands  have  been 
pretty  clean  up  to  the  present.  It  is  quite  true  that 
we  have  always  been  prepared  to  put  a  man  out  of 
the  way  if  it  had  to  be  done,  but  we  have  never 
done  it  yet. 

"  And  there  is  no  reason,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  that 
we  should  begin  now.  So  long  as  we  know  where 
to  find  this  gentleman,  that  should  be  good  enough 
for  us.  I  am  not  much  of  a  hand  at  an  argument, 
but  one  thing  seems  to  me  pretty  plain.  If  this 
gent" — ^he  indicated  Westerham — "had  wanted  to 
give  us  away  he  would  have  given  us  away  long 
since.    No,  you  may  depend  upon  it  that  whatever 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  149 

his  reasons  may  be  he's  got  as  good  cause  to  keep 
silence  as  we  have.    Don't  you  think  that's  right  ?  " 

Again  there  was  a  good  deal  of  grumbling,  but 
on  the  other  hand  there  was  general  assent. 

"  So  I  will  tell  you  what  we  will  do,"  continued 
the  bullet-headed  man,  now  certain  of  his  ground. 
"  We  will  let  him  go  on  one  condition — that  he  al- 
lows me  and  another  man  to  accompany  him  home. 
That  seems  to  be  fair.  It  may  be  taking  a  bit  of  a 
risk,  but  it  is  the  only  thing  to  be  done  unless  we 
want  to  do  murder,  and  that  is  not  our  game.  I 
am  not  taking  any  chances  of  hanging  while  there's 
money  to  be  got,  and  no  doubt  but  that  this  gentle- 
man will  use  us  fair." 

Westerham  caught  his  meaning,  and  for  the  sec- 
ond time  took  out  his  pocket-book. 

"  I  said  that  you  would  not  steal  these  notes,  and 
I  also  said  that  I  would  not  give  them  away.  But 
I  have  changed  my  mind.  There  they  are — and  I 
give  you  my  word  that  to-morrow  I  will  take  the 
embargo  off.  It  will  be  easy  enough  for  you  to 
find  out  whether  they  are  posted  as  lost  or  not.  I 
can  scarcely  do  more." 

To  this  there  was  greedy  assent,  and  Westerham 
realised  that  he  was  free.  He  did  not  even  wait 
for  the  bullet-headed  man's  full  approval,  but 
reached  out  for  his  hat. 

There  was  some  dispute  as  to  whom  the  notes 
should  be  given,  and  finally  it  was  decided  that 
Mackintosh — such  was  the  name  of  the  bullet- 
headed  man — should  keep  them  in  his  own  charge. 
And  then  he  and  a  second  man  by  the  name  of 
Hicks  accompanied  Westerham  out. 

In  the  main  road  they  took  a  tram  and  travelled 


150  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

westward.  At  Aldgate  Westerham  hailed  a  cab, 
and  the  three  men  drove  through  the  half -empty 
city  streets,  past  St.  Paul's,  and  up  Fleet  Street, 
into  the  Strand. 

As  they  drew  near  to  Walter's,  Westerham's 
quick  eye  detected  a  crowd  round  the  hotel.  He 
thrust  his  hand  through  the  trap-door  in  the  roof 
and  brought  the  cab  to  a  standstill. 

"  Look  here,"  he  said  quickly  to  the  other  men, 
"  that  crowd  is  outside  Walter's — and  that  is  where 
I  live. 

"  You  can  accompany  me  to  the  door  if  you  like 
and  see  me  go  in;  but  I  should  not  drive  up  if  I 
were  you,  as  you  will  only  arouse  interest,  and  pos- 
sibly someone  may  see  and  recognise  you.  That 
would  be  awkward  both  for  you  and  for  me." 

Mackintosh  gave  a  grin  of  agreement,  and  alight- 
ing, the  three  men  walked  towards  the  hotel. 

As  they  approached  the  crowd.  Mackintosh  and 
his  companion  drew  away  from  Westerham. 

"  It  will  do  if  we  see  you  go  in,"  said  the  bullet- 
headed  man,  "we  will  wait  here,"  And  he  moved 
into  a  little  opening  on  the  side  of  the  street  oppo- 
site the  hotel. 

Westerham  struck  across  the  Strand  and  pushed 
his  way  through  the  press.  The  hotel  door  was 
closed  and  guarded  on  either  side  by  a  constable. 
Through  the  glass  doorway  Westerham  could  see 
the  face  of  the  hall  porter  peering  out,  pale  and 
anxious  and  questioning. 

He  rapped  on  the  door,  and  the  porter  opened  it, 
the  policemen  making  no  demur,  seeing  that  the 
porter  obviously  recognised  the  new  arrival. 

At  the  further  end  of  the  hall  were  gathered  a 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  151 

number  of  the  visitors,  talking  excitedly,  but  in  low 
voices. 

Two  immensely  large  and  solid  men  were  seated 
on  a  bench.  They  rose  up  as  Westerham  entered, 
and  he  immediately  recognised  one  of  them  as  the 
inquisitive  Mr.  Rookley  from  Scotland  Yard. 

Rookley,  with  a  stern,  set  face,  walked  forward 
to  meet  Westerham,  and  touched  him  with  a  fore- 
finger on  his  chest. 

"  I  have  been  waiting  for  you,"  he  said. 

The  sense  of  coming  evil  against  which  Wester- 
ham had  struggled  earlier  in  the  evening  swept  over 
him  again  with  redoubled  force.  He  made  an  ef- 
fort to  shake  it  off,  but  again  failed  to  do  so. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked,  and  his  voice  sounded 
strange  and  harsh  even  to  himself. 

Without  a  word,  Rookley  grasped  his  arm  and 
led  him  up  the  stairs,  nor  did  he  stop  till  he  reached 
the  second  floor,  on  which  were  situated  Wester- 
ham's  sitting-room  and  modest  bedroom. 

Opening  the  door  of  the  sitting-room,  Rookley 
drew  Westerham  in  and  closed  the  door  again. 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Robinson,"  he  said,  "  you  gave 
us  the  slip  last  time,  I  admit ;  and  I  admit  also  that 
it  was  only  by  a  very  dreadful  miracle  that  I  dis- 
covered your  whereabouts  to-night.  For  I  was  sum- 
moned here  on  an  awful  piece  of  business.  But 
we've  got  you  now,  and  I  want  an  explanation." 

Westerham  stared  at  him  with  a  set  face. 

**  Now,  one  thing  is  certain — I  will  give  you  that 
much  credit  " — the  detective  continued — "  that  you 
are  not  the  actual  perpetrator  of  what  has  hap- 
pened. Perhaps,  too,  it  would  be  better  to  prepare 
you  for  a  shock,  though  you  look  a  pretty  strong- 


16a  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

nerved  man.  You'd  better  brace  yourself,  Mr.  Rob- 
inson." 

"All  right,"  said  Westerham,  quietly. 

Without  more  ado  the  detective  pushed  open  the 
door  communicating  with  Westerham's  bedroom 
and  led  the  way  in. 

The  room  was  in  darkness,  but  Rookley,  putting 
his  thumb  on  the  electric  button,  suddenly  switched 
on  the  light.  And  with  a  cry  Westerham  stepped 
back  and  blundered  against  the  detective. 

For  on  the  bed  was  stretched  Ross,  the  man  who 
had  left  him  in  the  company  of  Crow  and  Melun; 
and  driven  hard  up  to  the  hilt,  straight  through  the 
man's  heart,  was  a  knife  which  Westerham  in- 
stantly recognised  as  one  of  his  own. 

The  detective  seized  him  almost  roughly  and 
hurried  him  mercilessly  up  to  the  bedside. 

"  Read  that ! "  he  whispered  hoarsely. 

Westerham  stooped  and  saw  attached  to  the 
handle  of  the  knife  a  luggage  label  which  bore  the 
name  of  Walter's  hotel. 

And  on  the  luggage  label  was  printed  in  hand- 
writing the  following  inscription : — 

"  So  perish  all  traitors.  Be  warned  in  time.  The 
girl  may  be  the  next." 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE  PRIME  MINISTER  IS  COMPROMISED 

Horrified  though  he  was,  Westerham  made  no 
sign.  He  had  stood  in  the  presence  of  death  be- 
fore, and  he  had  faced  it  in  more  dreadful  forms, 
though  it  is  true  he  had  never  known  it  so  in- 
timately and  so  poignantly. 

"  The  girl  may  be  the  next,"  the  words  seemed 
ominous — like  a  doom.  Troubles  encompassed  him 
on  every  side.  An  hour  or  so  previously  he  had 
faced  the  greatest  odds  he  had  ever  known  till  then. 
The  odds  were  greater  now. 

Conscious  that  the  keen  eyes  of  Rookley  were 
upon  him,  he  saw  that  instant  action  was  necessary, 
and  turning  on  his  heel  he  walked  deliberately  into 
the  sitting-room. 

The  detective  followed  him,  and  then  seating 
himself  at  the  table,  Westerham  bade  the  man  take 
a  chair. 

For  a  moment  the  detective's  face  lighted  up  with 
anticipation.  It  seemed  to  him  that  at  last  the 
mysterious  Mr.  Robinson  was  about  to  make  some 
statement.  His  anticipations  were,  however,  to  be 
disappointed. 

"  Well,"  said  Westerham,  in  a  pleasant,  even 
voice,  "  I  am  waiting  for  you  to  begin." 

"  I  was  hoping,"  said  Mr.  Rookley,  "  that  you 
were  about  to  make  some  statement." 

"  I   never  make   statements,"   said   Westerham, 

153 


164  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

"any  more  than  I  answer  questions  which  are  in- 
convenient    What  have  you  to  say  ?  " 

Suddenly  the  detective  leant  forward  and  spoke 
so  quickly  that  Westerham  was  almost  thrown  off 
his  guard. 

"Who  are  you,  Mr.  Robinson?  " 

"  I  can  only  give  you  the  same  answer,"  said 
Westerham,  "  which  I  gave  you  before — that  my 
name  is  my  own  business." 

"  You  are  aware,  of  course,"  pursued  Rookley, 
"  that  the  present  occasion  is  more  serious  than  the 
last.  You  seem  to  have  an  unfortunate  habit  of 
coming  in  on  the  heels  of  awkward  occurrences." 

"  It  does  seem  like  it  just  now,"  agreed  Wester- 
ham. 

There  was  a  pause  and  Westerham  was  the  first 
to  speak  again.  "  As  you  yourself  know  full  well 
that  I  was  not  here  when  this  business  happened,  I 
think  that  you  had  better  clear  the  ground  by  telling 
me  all  you  know  if  you  wish  me  to  assist  you." 

Rookley  looked  at  him  sharply,  but  decided  that 
Westerham  was  right. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  he  said. 

"At  about  ten  o'clock  two  men  called  and  asked 
for  you.  Both  of  them  were  dressed  rather  like 
sailors,  one  man  being  short,  the  other  tall.  They 
were  told  that  you  were  out. 

"  The  tall  man,  however,  said  that  he  had  come 
to  see  you  in  response  to  a  letter,  and  that,  as  he 
knew  you  had  a  sitting-room,  he  would  be  obliged 
if  they  would  allow  him  to  wait  with  his  friend. 

"As  the  men  were  both  quiet  and  respectable  in 
dress  and  in  manner,  they  were  allowed  to  do  so. 

"  After  a  little  while  the  taller  of  the  two  men 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  155 

went  down  to  the  hall  and  told  the  porter  that  he 
had  left  his  friend  upstairs,  and  that  he  himself  was 
going  out  to  buy  some  cigarettes. 

"  The  porter  was  a  little  surprised,  but  said  noth- 
ing, but  when  half  an  hour  had  gone  by  he  grew 
uneasy  and  going  upstairs  to  the  sitting-room  dis- 
covered what  you  have  just  seen. 

"  The  body  was  not  touched,  and  we  were  im- 
mediately summoned  by  the  police  at  Bow  Street. 
The  police-surgeon  happened  to  be  absent,  and  has 
not  yet  called.  That  accounts  for  the  body  being 
still  undisturbed.  We  had,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
only  been  here  a  few  minutes  when  you  yourself 
arrived." 

"Is  that  all?"  asked  Westerham. 

"  That's  all  that  I  can  tell  you  up  to  the  present," 
said  the  detective. 

"What  were  the  men  like?"  asked  Westerham, 
though  he  had  by  this  time  little  doubt  as  to  the 
identity  of  the  murderer,  just  as  he  knew  well 
enough  the  identity  of  the  victim. 

"  The  murdered  man,"  said  the  detective,  "  you 
have  seen  yourself.  The  murderer — for  there  is 
not  the  slightest  doubt  that  the  taller  of  the  two 
men  stabbed  the  other — is  described  as  being  spare 
in  build  and  black-bearded," 

"Black-bearded?"  said  Westerham,  wonder- 
ingly. 

Rookley  looked  at  him  sharply. 

"You  have  suspicions?"  he  said. 

"Is  there  a  man  without  them?"  asked  Wester- 
ham. 

"  Come,  come,  sir,"  urged  the  detective,  "  this  is 
not  a  time  for  jesting." 


166  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"  I  am  not  jesting,"  said  Westerham,  and  re- 
lapsed into  silence. 

"  Don't  you  think,"  asked  the  detective  after  a 
little  while,  "  it  would  be  better  if  you  were  to 
make  a  clean  breast  of  everything?" 

"  I  tell  you  frankly,  Mr.  Robinson,"  he  continued, 
"that  I  have  changed  my  opinion  about  yourself. 
At  first  I  thought  you  were  a  dupe  of  Melun's,  but 
I  was  soon  convinced  that  a  man  so  astute  as  your- 
self could  not  possibly  have  been  misled  even  by 
that  clever  scoundrel. 

**  Indeed,  it  seemed  to  me  improbable  that  a  gen- 
tleman of  such  ingenuity  as  yourself  should  have 
become  a  victim  of  any  conspiracy.  No,  sir,  it  ap- 
pears to  me — mind,  I  am  giving  you  every  credit — 
that  you  are  in  some  way  bound  up  with  a  very 
extraordinary  network  of  crime. 

"  What  it  is,  of  course,  I  cannot  tell,  unless  you 
trust  me.  I  wish  you  would  see  the  wisdom  of 
giving  me  your  confidence.  In  the  meantime  I  can 
only  theorise." 

Mr.  Rookley  paused  and  looked  infinitely  wise. 

"  Go  on,"  said  Westerham. 

"  In  all  probability,"  Mr.  Rookley  proceeded, 
"  you  have  become  involved  in  some  peculiar  kind 
of  vendetta.  I  assure  you,  sir,  that  when  you  are 
as  versed  in  the  machinations  of  mankind  as  I  am 
you  will  not  find  such  a  supposition  as  mine  at  all 
romantic. 

"  If,  however,  such  is  the  case,  then  Melun  plays 
a  part  in  it.  And  if  Melun  plays  a  part  in  it,"  con- 
cluded the  detective,  with  a  fine  show  of  pitiless 
logic,  "  then  he  had  a  hand  in  this.  Now  tell  me, 
sir,  do  you  suspect  him?" 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  157 

"  I  must  once  again,"  said  Westerham,  "  be  al- 
lowed to  point  out  that  what  I  suspect  is  no  affair 
of  yours  at  all. 

"  I  don't  mind  telling  you,  however,  that  I  am 
involved  in  a  very  remarkable  conspiracy.  The 
part  which  I  play  is  entirely  innocent;  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  make  the  faintest 
revelation  concerning  it." 

"  But  this  is  not  the  end  of  it,"  cried  Rookley, 
"  By  no  means  the  end  of  it.  Look  at  the  threat  on 
the  luggage  label.  '  The  girl  may  be  the  next.' 
Now,  what  does  that  mean?    Who  is  the  girl?" 

Westerham's  ruddy  face  grew  a  little  pale. 

**  The  girl,"  he  said,  "  is  the  lady  it  is  my  busi- 
ness to  shelter  and  protect.  By  holding  silent  I  can 
at  least  secure  her  life;  if  I  breathe  one  word  I 
can  well  believe  that  her  fate  may  be  the  same  as 
that  of  the  man  within." 

He  pointed  to  the  bedroom. 

"  Then,  sir,"  said  the  detective,  banging  his  fist 
on  the  table,  "  it  is  your  duty  to  tell  us  everything. 

"  The  police  can  give  protection  to  all  who  need 
it,"  he  added  after  a  pause. 

"The  police  did  not  save  the  dead,"  answered 
Westerham.     "  And  they  cannot  save  the  girl." 

"Mr.  Robinson,"  said  the  detective,  darkly,  "if 
you  persist  in  silence  I  must  resort  to  extreme 
measures.  There  was  no  justification  in  my  de- 
taining you  yesterday  over  the  gagging  of  your 
valet.  But  this  is  an  entirely  different  piece  of  busi- 
ness 

"  This  is  murder,  and  I  should  not  be  doing  my 
duty  if  I  did  not  turn  every  stone  to  bring  the  mur- 
derer to  justice,    I  warn  you  solemnly  that  there 


158  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

is  such  a  thing  as  being  charged  with  comph'city, 
and,  if  you  continue  to  defy  me  as  you  do,  then  I 
shall  have  no  other  course  but  to  take  you  in 
charge." 

"My  dear  man,"  said  Westerham,  "don't  be  a 
fool.  Let  me  implore  you  not  to  be  led  by  a  little 
exercise  of  your  authority  into  taking  a  step  which 
you  would  for  ever  regret. 

"  You  have  been  extremely  clever  in  your 
theories,  but  you  have  not  been  quite  clever  enough. 
I  don't  wish  to  be  unkind,  but  you  have  lacked  im- 
agination. This  is  not  some  comparatively  small 
affair;  it  is  by  no  means  a  vendetta;  it  is  by  no 
means  a  quarrel  over  a  woman. 

"  It  is  an  affair  in  which  half  the  participators 
act  in  blind  ignorance.  There  are  possibly  only 
three  people  in  existence  who  can  throw  any  light 
on  the  matter.  And  they  occupy  such  a  position 
in  this  world  that  it  would  be  extremely  un- 
wise for  you  to  take  any  steps  without  their 
sanction." 

"  I  don't  know  who  are  concerned  in  the  matter," 
said  the  detective.  "  It  is  that  of  which  I  com- 
plain." 

"  And  I,"  answered  Westerham,  "  am  not  in  a 
position  to  enlighten  you." 

"  One  thing,  however,  I  can  tell  you,"  said  the 
detective,  "  and  that  is  that  however  he  may  be  in- 
directly concerned  in  this  murder,  Melun  himself 
did  not  actually  commit  it.  I  have  already  ascer- 
tained that  he  was  in  his  club  at  the  time." 

If  he  expected  Westerham  to  betray  the  slight- 
est surprise,  Rookley  was  disappointed.  For  al- 
though, a§  a  matter  of  fact,  he  was  astounded  at 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  159 

this  information,  Sir  Paul  continued  to  stare  at  his 
interrogator  in  stony  and  unemotional  silence. 

"  Indeed ! "  was  the  only  remark  he  made. 

Mr.  Rookley  rose  and  rang  the  bell,  and  when 
the  servant  appeared,  asked  him  to  request  Mr. 
Moore  to  step  upstairs. 

A  few  minutes  later  Mr.  Moore,  the  young  de- 
tective whose  acquaintance  Westerham  had  made 
at  his  rooms  in  Bruton  Street  the  day  before,  came 
briskly  into  the  room. 

"  Mr.  Moore,"  said  the  detective,  solemnly,  "  we 
must  do  our  duty. 

"  It  is  our  task  to  charge  this  gentleman  with  be- 
ing concerned  in  this  business." 

Westerham  turned  his  hard,  stern  eyes  on  Moore, 
and  the  man  felt  uncomfortable. 

"  Very  well,  sir,"  he  said,  looking  at  his  chief. 

"  Stop!"  cried  Westerham,  "  before  you  do  so,  I 
want  to  ask  you  one  or  two  questions.  You,  of 
course,  are  responsible  to  the  Commissioner?" 

Rookley  nodded. 

"  And  the  Commissioner  is  responsible  to  the 
Home  Secretary  ?  " 

Rookley  nodded  again. 

"  And  the  Home  Secretary  is,  to  a  certain  extent, 
responsible  to  the  Prime  Minister?" 

Once  more  Rookley  nodded. 

"  That  being  so,"  Westerham  continued,  "  will 
you  allow  me  to  ask  you  if  you  have  ever  known 
even  as  bad  a  business  as  this  hushed  up  for  high 
political  motives?" 

Rookley  started  and  stared  at  him. 

"  Oh,  I  see  you  have,"  said  Westerham. 

"  This  is  not  Russia,  sir,"  remarked  Mr.  Rookley. 


160  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

"  No,"  said  Westerham,  "  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
Russian  methods  are  not  wholly  unknown  in  this 
country." 

It  was  Mr.  Rookley's  turn  to  look  uncomfortable 
now. 

"  Now,"  continued  Westerham,  "  you  have 
warned  me.  I  want  to  warn  you.  In  dealing  with 
me  you  are  dealing  with  no  ordinary  person.  I  as- 
sure you  that  by  my  silence  I  am  doing  my  duty  by 
the  State,  although  I  practically  know  no  more 
what  this  means  than  you  do.  I  give  you  my  word 
on  that. 

"I  know,  however,  sufficient  to  appreciate  that 
my  arrest  must  result  in  a  great  many  inquiries, 
the  effect  of  which  will  be  disastrous,  not  only  to 
individuals,  but  to  the  State.  I  repeat  again  that 
I  cannot  see  plainly  in  what  way,  but  I  have  suf- 
ficient knowledge  to  justify  my  assuming  this  con- 
clusion. 

"  What  I  ask  you  therefore  is  this :  Will  you 
allow  me  to  write  a  note  to  the  Prime  Minister  in 
person  ?  I  will  abide  by  the  answer,  which  you  can 
easily  get  from  Downing  Street  within  the  space 
of  half  an  hour." 

Mr.  Rookley's  face  suddenly  brightened,  and 
there  was  a  certain  triumphant  air  in  his  manner, 
as  much  as  to  say  that  he  had  convicted  Wester- 
ham of  having  blundered  badly. 

"  The  Prime  Minister  is  away,"  he  snapped. 

**  I  know  that,"  said  Westerham,  "  but  his  pri- 
vate secretary,  the  Hon.  Claude  Hilden,  is  at  No. 
la.  There  is,  moreover,  a  private  telephone  wire 
to  Trant  Hall.  I  know  that  because  I  was  at  the 
Hall  yesterday." 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  161 

Mr.  Rookley  opened  his  eyes  wide.  His  aston- 
ishment was  intense  and  undisguised. 

"  I  will  write  that  note,"  said  Westerham — "  and 
believe  me  that  the  writing  of  it  will  save  a  vast 
deal  of  trouble — on  one  condition.  Will  you  pledge 
me  your  word  that  it  shall  not  be  tampered  with 
and  shall  not  be  read  by  anyone  until  it  is  placed 
in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Hilden  himself?" 

For  a  few  moments  the  detective  looked  wor- 
ried and  doubtful. 

"Very  well,"  he  said  finally;  "but,  of  course, 
you  must  realise  that  if  you  are  simply  putting  up 
a  game  on  us  the  consequences  will  be  all  the  worse 
for  yourself." 

"  I  am  perfectly  aware,"  said  Westerham,  coldly, 
"  of  precisely  what  I  am  doing." 

Thereupon  he  rose,  and,  going  over  to  the  writ- 
ing-table, hastily  wrote  the  following  letter: — 

"  To  the  Honourable  Claude  Hilden,  Private  Sec- 
retary to  the  Right  Honourable  the  Earl  of 
Penshurst. 

"  Personal  and  private. 

"Dear  Sir, — Kindly  inform  Lord  Penshurst  at 
once  by  telephone  that  the  writer  of  this  note — 
Mr.  James  Robinson,  of  Bruton  Street — whose 
rooms  were  burglariously  entered  by  yourself  yes- 
terday afternoon — is  in  an  awkward  predicament. 

"  For  your  own  convenience  I  occupied,  besides 
the  flat  in  Bruton  Street,  rooms  in  Walter's  Hotel. 
During  my  absence  to-night  an  atrocious  murder 
was  committed  in  those  rooms.  The  detectives 
called  in  to  take  charge  of  the  case  are  convinced 
that,  while  I  am  not  the  murderer,  I  am  involved 


16a  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

in  the  conspiracy  which  brought  it  about.  That 
conspiracy  is  perfectly  well  known  to  Lord  Pens- 
hurst.  There  is  no  justification  for  my  arrest,  and 
the  result  of  police-court  proceedings  must  compel 
me  to  make  revelations  which  may  prove  exceed- 
ingly awkward  to  his  lordship. 

"  I  recognise  that  there  must  be  an  inquest,  and 
I  am  prepared  to  give  evidence  there.  Nothing  I 
may  say  there,  however,  will  in  any  way  involve 
the  Prime  Minister. 

"  I  venture  to  write  to  you  and  point  these  things 
out,  and  to  ask  you  that  you  should  immediately 
communicate  with  Lord  Penshurst  by  telephone, 
as,  although  I  am  practically  in  ignorance  of  all 
that  is  going  on  about  me,  I  realise  that  some  very 
important  matter  is  involved  which  Lord  Pens- 
hurst desires  to  keep  to  himself. — I  am,  yours 
faithfully, 

"James  Robinson." 

Westerham  fastened  the  note  down,  sealed  it, 
and  handed  it  to  Rookley,  who  instructed  Moore 
to  take  it  immediately  to  Downing  Street. 

There,  Moore  told  Rookley  afterwards,  he  had 
the  unusual  experience  of  seeing  Mr.  Hilden  go 
pale  as  death,  and  of  hearing  him  mutter  excitedly 
to  himself. 

Then  the  private  telephone  was  busy  for  some 
ten  minutes,  and  presently  Mr.  Hilden  came  back 
still  greatly  agitated,  and  told  Moore  to  instruct 
Rookley  that  Mr.  Robinson  was  on  no  account  to 
be  detained. 

Both  the  men  were,  moreover,  enjoined  to  com- 
plete silence,  and  told  that  not  a  word  of  the  matter 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  163 

must  be  breathed  to  anyone  except  the  Commis- 
sioner himself. 

When  Moore  came  back  with  these  various  mes- 
sages, Rookley  sat  for  some  moments  as  though  en- 
tirely overcome. 

When  at  last  he  spoke  his  voice  was  husky. 

"  I  don't  know  what  it's  all  about,  sir,"  he  said 
to  Westerham,  "or  who  you  may  be.  Appar- 
ently it  is  none  of, my  business  to  inquire;  but  I 
tell  you  frankly  that  this  beats  everything  that  I 
have  ever  known  in  the  course  of  my  long  experi- 
ence. 

"You  will  naturally  have  to  take  another  room, 
as  the  body  must  not  be  touched  till  the  police- 
surgeon  has  seen  it,  when  it  can  be  removed  to  the 
mortuary.  You  will  get  your  summons  for  the  in- 
quest in  the  morning." 

He  went  into  the  bedroom  where  the  dead  man 
lay  and  shut  the  door  with  a  bang. 

Westerham,  without  even  troubling  to  gather 
together  his  different  effects,  rang  the  bell  and  or- 
dered another  room.  But,  as  may  be  imagined,  he 
did  not  sleep  much ;  indeed,  he  sat  and  smoked 
throughout  the  entire  night,  trying  to  account  for 
the  real  motive  which  underlay  the  murder. 

Slowly,  too,  he  began  to  see  that  he  had  under- 
rated Melun's  resources  and  fiendish  cleverness;  for 
this  was  evidently  Melun's  work. 

Yet  it  was  difficult  to  account  for  Melun's  pres- 
ence in  his  club  at  the  moment  of  the  perpetration 
of  the  crime.  Melun  must  have  acted  with  almost 
superhuman  swiftness  and  ingenuity. 

Piecing  the  affair  together  as  best  he  could,  Wes- 
terham came  to  the  conclusion  that  after  the  men 


164*  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

had  left  Limehouse  Melun  must  have  purchased 
Crow's  adherence  out  and  out;  and  this  more  than 
ever  puzzled  Westerham  to  understand  what  the 
amazing  mystery  in  which  he  was  entangled  meant. 
He  could  well  believe  now  that  the  stake  was  even 
greater  than  the  quarter  of  a  million  the  captain 
himself  had  mentioned. 

Then  he  also  became  convinced  that  not  only  had 
he  underestimated  Melun's  mental  capacity,  but 
that  he  had  underrated  his  physical  hardihood ;  for 
by  this  murder,  unless  he  had  in  some  subtle  way 
pre-armed  himself  with  a  triumphant  excuse,  the 
captain  had  automatically  cut  himself  adrift  from 
the  rougher  spirits  of  his  gang. 

This  reflection  led  to  a  great  anxiety  on  Wes- 
terham's  part,  for  he  realised  that  if  Melun  could 
afford  to  take  this  step  the  crisis  must  be  close  at 
hand.  And  it  was  an  exceedingly  uncomfortable 
and  hair-raising  thought  when  he  remembered  the 
threat  pinned  to  the  dead  man's  chest. 

"  The  girl  may  be  the  next." 

The  words  haunted  him  more  than  Kathleen's 
own  extraordinary  statement.  He  wondered  im- 
potently  when  the  problems  which  beset  him  would 
cease  to  multiply. 

The  whole  situation  seemed  to  have  a  double 
edge,  for  while  he  rejoiced  to  think  that  the  crisis 
must  now  be  close  at  hand,  he  was  correspondingly 
terrified  by  the  thought  that  the  crisis  might  in- 
volve, not  only  the  safety,  but  even  the  life  of  Lady 
Kathleen. 

That  he  could  actually  blackmail  the  Prime 
Minister  to  the  extent  of  securing  his  immunity 
from  arrest  only  increased  his  alarm,  because  he 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  165 

was  able  thereby  to  appreciate  more  than  ever  the 
reahty  of  the  unknown  peril  in  which  Lord  Pens- 
hurst  stood. 

It  was  with  much  apprehension  that  he  sent  for 
the  morning  papers  and  read  what  they  might  have 
to  say  concerning  the  tragedy. 

Fortunately  the  newspapers — whether  by  Rook- 
ley's  instrumentality  or  not  Westerham  didn't  know 
— were  discreet  almost  to  the  verge  of  being  indefi- 
nite. 

They  confined  themselves  to  setting  forth  those 
details  of  the  murder  which  could  not  be  hidden ; 
they  advanced  no  theories  whatsoever,  contenting 
themselves  by  stating  that  the  police  had  a  clue  and 
that    important   developments   might  be   expected. 

They  did  not  mention  the  fact  that  the  murder 
had  been  committed  in  the  room  occupied  by  a  Mr. 
James  Robinson,  but  Westerham  was  glad  to  note 
that  they  did  not  speculate  as  to  who  he  might 
be,  nor  did  they  attempt  to  give  any  account  of  his 
present  or  past  circumstances. 

He  was  prepared  to  face,  and  if  necessary  to  de- 
feat, a  battery  of  questions  when  he  went  to  the  in- 
quest. 

The  strange  little  coroner's  court  was  packed  to 
suffocation,  and  Westerham  was  conscious  that 
every  eye  was  turned  upon  him.  But  he  drew  some 
comfort  from  the  reflection  that  this  was  inevitable, 
seeing  that  he  was  the  only  witness  in  the  case  be- 
yond the  hall-porter  and  the  detective. 

To  his  surprise  he  found  that  the  coroner  led  him 
quietly  through  a  few  formal  questions  as  to  the 
hour  at  which  he  arrived  at  the  hotel  and  what  he 
had  seen  there.    The  coroner,  indeed,  made  no  at- 


166  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

tempt  to  discover  Westerham's  actual  identity,  nor 
even  suggested  that  he  should  advance  any  theory 
of  the  strange  affair. 

At  the  close  of  Westerham's  evidence,  however, 
one  of  the  jurymen  became  for  a  few  moments  a 
little  troublesome. 

"  I  think  it  should  be  asked,"  said  this  gentleman, 
"  whether  Mr.  Robinson's  suspicions  turn  in  any 
particular  direction. 

"  Has  anything  occurred  in  his  life  that  would 
suggest  that  such  a  crime  might  be  looked  for?" 

But  the  coroner  cut  him  short  in  such  a  freezing 
manner  that  Westerham  rightly  guessed  that  Rook- 
ley  had  been  using  a  tactful  influence. 

"  I  consider  that  question,"  said  the  coroner,  "  a 
most  improper  one.  We  have  been  assured  by  Mr. 
Rookley  that  there  is  not  the  slightest  reason  to 
associate  Mr.  Robinson  with  this  crime.  Interfer- 
ence on  your  part  is  out  of  place,  and  may  even  lead 
to  a  miscarriage  of  justice.  I  am  perfectly  certain 
that  this  matter  may  be  safely  left  to  the  police, 
who  should  be  allowed  to  take  their  own  course  of 
action." 

The  juryman  grumbled  a  little,  but  subsided,  and 
the  sharp  eyes  of  the  reporters  at  the  tables  looked 
disappointed. 

A  verdict  of  wilful  murder  by  some  person  un- 
known concluded  the  inquest,  from  which  Wester- 
ham hurried  in  order  to  evade  further  questionings 
from  curious  journalists. 

He  imagined  that  his  hotel  was  likely  by  this 
time  to  be  beset  by  reporters,  and  so,  having  first 
acquainted  Inspector  Rookley  with  his  intention, 
he  went  back  to  his  rooms  in  Bruton  Street. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  167 

There  even  the  mask-like  face  of  his  valet  bore 
some  traces  of  distrust  and  curiosity.  It  was,  how- 
ever, without  a  word  that  the  man  handed  him  a 
note. 

To  his  surprise,  and  with  a  little  leap  of  his 
heart,  Westerham  saw  that  it  was  addressed  in  a 
woman's  hand-writing,  and  for  a  moment  he 
thought  that  the  letter  might  be  from  Lady  Kath- 
leen. But  he  was  very  roughly  undeceived,  for, 
tearing  open  the  envelope,  his  eye  instantly  caught 
the  address — "  Laburnum  Road,  St.  John's  Wood  " 
■ — while  across  half  a  sheet  of  newspaper  was 
scrawled : — 

"  For  Lady  Kathleen's  sake,  come  to  me  at  once. 

"  Marie  Estelle." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   GAMING-HOUSE 

Westerham  turned  the  note  about  and  about  in 
his  fingers  in  the  futile  attempt  to  extract  some  fur- 
ther information  from  it. 

He  realised,  of  course,  that  the  note  boded  a  new 
move. 

Had  the  crisis  really  crept  so  close  ?  Or  was  the 
danger  in  which  Lady  Kathleen  stood  merely 
fictitious? 

Possibly  it  was  a  trap;  but  that  he  had  to  risk. 
One  thing  was  certain — he  could  not  ignore  the 
message. 

On  second  thoughts,  indeed,  he  was  inclined  to 
regard  the  summons  as  a  real  and  urgent  one.  The 
murder  at  the  hotel  had  shown  him  that  Melun  was 
not  the  man  to  stick  at  trifles. 

Moreover,  he  recollected  that  Madame's  concern 
at  his  becoming  entangled  in  Melun's  toils  had 
without  question  been  genuine.  Madame,  he  al- 
most persuaded  himself,  had  been  his  friend  from 
the  beginning.     He  trusted  that  she  might  be  now. 

Without  any  further  delay,  therefore,  he  walked 
out  into  the  quiet  little  street  and  turned  in  the  di- 
rection of  Berkeley  Square,  where  he  knew  he 
would  be  sure  to  find  a  cab. 

But  as  he  emerged  from  the  door  a  hansom 
passed  him,  and  without  thinking,  he  accepted  the 
invitation  of  the  driver  to  enter  it, 

108 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  169 

Through  the  trap-door  he  told  the  man  to  drive 
to  the  Laburnum  Road;  and  then  as  the  vehicle 
moved  along  at  a  smart  pace  he  gave  himself  up 
again  to  speculating  in  what  way  Kathleen  might 
be  in  peril  and  from  what  motive  Mme.  Estelle  had 
warned  him. 

He  had  come  to  no  conclusion  on  this  point  when 
the  hansom  swung  sharply  round  from  the  Finch- 
ley  Road  into  Laburnum  Road,  which  at  that  hour 
of  the  day  was  more  quiet  and  deserted  than  ever. 

Then  a  strange  thing  happened  so  suddenly  that 
he  had  no  time  to  ward  off  the  danger  in  which  he 
found  himself. 

Two  steel  arms,  which  had  been  so  secreted  in 
the  upholstery  of  the  cab  as  to  be  invisible,  sud- 
denly closed  round  his  arms  and  body  with  a  snap, 
and  as  the  hansom  was  pulled  up  with  a  jerk  he 
found  himself  a  prisoner,  so  tightly  squeezed  by  the 
encircling  steel  arms  that  he  was  unable  to  do  more 
than  wriggle  in  his  seat. 

In  a  moment  the  driver  was  off  the  dicky  and 
had  come  round  to  the  front  of  the  cab.  With  a 
fascinated  gaze  Westerham  watched  him  take  a 
little  phial  from  his  pocket  and  saturate  a  handker- 
chief. 

He  divined  the  man's  intention  in  a  moment,  and 
cried  out  an  inquiry  as  to  what  he  was  about  to  do. 

But  the  man  made  no  answer,  except  to  grin 
and  climb  on  to  the  step  of  the  cab. 

A  moment  later  he  had  clapped  the  handkerchief 
over  Westerham's  mouth  and  nose  and  held  it  there 
tightly  for  a  few  seconds. 

Westerham  was  alike  unable  to  struggle  or  cry 
out.     For  a  few  moments  he  fought  against  the 


no  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

overpowering  odour  of  chloroform ;  then  his  vision 
grew  dim,  his  ears  began  to  sing,  and  he  lapsed  into 
complete  unconsciousness. 

When  he  awoke  it  was  to  find  himself  fully 
dressed  and  stretched  upon  a  sofa.  It  was  appar- 
ently morning-time,  for  the  table  close  beside  him 
was  laid  out  as  though  for  breakfast,  and  a  flood 
of  early  sunshine  was  pouring  in  through  the  open 
French  windows. 

He  was  so  astonished  at  his  whereabouts  that 
he  closed  his  eyes  again  and  endeavoured  with  a 
still  half-numbed  brain  to  call  to  mind  the  events 
which  had  brought  him  into  such  strange  sur- 
roundings. 

Slowly,  stupidly,  he  began  to  remember  Mme. 
Estelle's  letter  and  his  disastrous  drive  in  the  cab. 
But  so  dazed  was  he  that  he  had  for  the  purpose 
of  fully  arousing  his  faculties  actually  to  repeat  his 
name  and  address  several  times  before  his  senses 
began  to  assume  their  normal  condition  of  alert- 
ness. 

When  his  brain  was  clearer  he  endeavoured  to 
rise,  but  he  immediately  became  dizzy  again  and 
sank  back  on  the  couch  as  though  exhausted  by  a 
long  illness. 

So  complete  was  the  blank  between  the  time  he 
had  been  chloroformed  and  his  awaking  that  he 
had  not  the  faintest  idea  whether  he  had  lain  on 
the  couch  on  which  he  found  himself  for  hours  or 
days,  or  even  weeks. 

Yesterday  seemed  to  be  a  long  time  behind  him. 

So,  finding  exertion  out  of  the  question,  he  leant 
back  with  almost  contentment  among  the  pillows, 
and  fell  to  wondering  in  whose  house  he  might  be. 


THE    CRIME     CLUB  171 

From  the  shape  of  the  room  and  the  aspect  of  the 
garden  more  than  anything  he  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  roof  which  sheltered  him  was  that 
of  Mme.  Estelle.  On  this  point,  however,  he  could 
not  quite  make  up  his  mind  until  the  door  opened 
softly  and  Mme.  Estelle  herself  came  into  the 
room. 

She  walked  over  to  the  couch  and  stood  looking 
down  at  him  pleasantly  and  kindly. 

Westerham  was  so  astonished  at  her  appearance 
that  he  could  say  nothing  at  all. 

It  was  Madame  who  spoke  first,  but  before  do- 
ing so  she  drew  a  chair  to  his  side  and  sat  down. 
Then  she  said: 

*'  Sir  Paul,  I  owe  you  a  deep  apology." 

Westerham  contented  himself  with  a  slight  in- 
clination of  his  weary  head,  and  waited  for  Ma- 
dame to  explain. 

"  I  can  speak  quite  frankly  now,"  she  said, 
"  knowing  that  there  is  no  one  about  to  overhear, 
and  I  must  begin  by  asking  you  to  forgive  me." 

Westerham  nodded,  but  still  said  nothing,  though 
now  he  saw  plainly  enough  that  the  letter  had 
merely  been  a  blind. 

"  Yet,"  Madame  continued,  turning  her  face 
away  from  him,  "  it  was  not  so  great  a  lie.  Lady 
Kathleen  was  in  peril,  and  is  still  in  peril,  but  not 
in  the  peril  which  I  really  imagined  at  the  time." 

"  What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Westerham. 

Madame  glanced  uneasily  about  her,  and  then 
shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,  my  friend.    I  wish  I  could." 

"  She  was  in  peril,  is  still  in  peril,  but  not  in  the 
peril  in  which  she  was,"  Westerham  repeated  to 


17^  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

himself.  He  removed  his  puzzled  gaze  from  the 
woman's  face  and  glanced  at  his  feet. 

Then  he  started  violently,  for  the  boots  which 
he  wore,  comfortable  though  they  were,  were  not 
his  boots. 

Struggling  into  a  half-sitting  posture,  he  looked 
hastily  over  his  clothes.    They  were  not  his  clothes. 

He  endeavoured  to  rise  and  Madame  helped  him 
to  his  feet.  On  one  side  he  supported  himself  by 
the  table,  and  on  the  other  by  Madame's  arm. 

Then  he  took  a  step  forward  and  deliberately 
surveyed  himself  in  the  glass.  And  his  look  of  in- 
spection filled  him  with  intense  surprise,  though  he 
did  not  allow  himself  to  so  much  as  utter  an  ex- 
clamation. 

Mechanically  he  began  to  employ  those  little 
tricks  of  gesture  which  a  man  indulges  in  when  he 
is  anxious  to  ascertain  if  his  clothes  sit  well  on  him. 

To  his  amazement  not  one  article  of  attire  was 
his  own;  yet  the  blue  serge  suit  in  which  he  was 
clad  was  of  such  a  perfect  fit  that  he  might  have 
been  moulded  into  it.  He  moved  his  toes  inside  his 
boot  and  found  that  of  all  the  boots  he  had  ever 
worn  these  were  the  most  comfortable. 

He  put  his  hand  to  his  tie  and  found  that  his 
collar  was  the  exact  size.  Quickly  and  methodically 
he  searched  through  his  pockets;  his  handkerchief 
was  where  he  always  carried  it ;  his  keys  were  in  his 
left  trouser  pocket;  his  money  and  knife  in  his 
right.  Each  in  its  own  correct  waistcoat  pocket  he 
found  his  nail  clippers,  his  sovereign  purse  and  tiny 
card-case.     His  cards  were  intact. 

Plunging  his  hand  into  the  inner  pocket  of  his 
coat  he  discovered  that  his  notebook  was  in  its  place, 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  178 

Almost  instinctively  he  opened  it  and  turned  over 
the  contents;  nothing  whatsoever  had  been  dis- 
turbed. 

So  utterly  dum founded  was  he  that  he  sat  down 
heavily  again  upon  the  couch  and  stared  at  Mme. 
Estelle. 

Madame  laughed,  showing  her  fine  teeth. 

"  You  are  a  little  puzzled,"  she  suggested. 

"  Truly,"  said  Westerham,  "  I  was  never  so  puz- 
zled in  my  life.  Can  you  tell  me  what  it  all 
means  ?  " 

"  I  would  that  I  were  able,"  said  Madame,  ear- 
nestly, "  but  it  is  quite  impossible." 

"  These  things,"  urged  Westerham,  stretching  out 
his  limbs,  "what  is  the  meaning  of  it?  I  can  quite 
vmderstand,"  he  added  bitterly,  "  that  it  might  be 
necessary  for  Melun  to  chloroform  me  for  various 
reasons,  but  one  of  those  reasons  was  apparently 
not  theft. 

"  Indeed,"  he  added,  with  a  wry  smile,  **  the 
captain  seems  to  have  been  spending  money  on  me. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  cried,  starting  up  and  then  falling 
back  weakly,  "  tell  me  what  all  this  means.  I  have 
had  my  fill  of  mystery  during  the  last  week." 

"  Don't  you  think,"  suggested  Madame,  quietly, 
"that  it  would  be  best  to  begin  at  the  beginning? 
Surely  it  would  be  more  reasonable  for  you  to 
ask  why  you  were  chloroformed  and  brought 
here." 

"Well,"  said  Westerham,  "why  was  it?" 

"It  was  done,"  said  Mme.  Estelle,  "because  it 
was  necessary  to  make  you  a  prisoner  for  nearly 
thirty  hours — and  it  was  the  only  way  to  do  it. 
You  see,"  she  added  lightly,  "  you  are  a  strong  man. 


in  THE    CHIME     CLUB 

and  I  don't  blame  Melun  for  declining  to  risk  a 
struggle  with  you," 

"  But  I  don't  understand  any  better  now,"  Wes- 
terham  complained,  passing  his  hand  across  his 
forehead.     "Why  should  I  be  made  a  prisoner?" 

Mme.  Estelle  touched  his  arm  and  looked  ear- 
nestly into  his  face. 

"  Because,"  she  said  slowly,  "  it  was  necessary 
to  ensure  that  you  should  see  Lady  Kathleen  to- 
night." 

"  To  see  Lady  Kathleen  to-night,"  cried  Wester- 
ham.     "When   and  where?     Not  here,   surely?" 

"No,"  answered  Madame,  with  a  little  smile, 
"  not  here,  indeed. 

"  Events,"  she  went  on,  "  have  taken  a  very  sud- 
den and  curious  turn.  Yesterday,  I  tell  you 
frankly,  your  own  life  was  in  considerable  danger. 
You  may  think  it  very  cold-blooded  and  horrible  of 
me  to  say  such  a  thing,  but  I  know  that  Melun  had 
practically  come  to  the  conclusion  that  you  must 
be  put  out  of  the  way  in  order  to  save  trouble. 

"  But  I  was  averse  to  that,  and,  thanks  to  the 
plan  I  suggested,  it  was  found  unnecessary  to  do 
you  any  harm." 

"  But  why,"  urged  Westerham,  "  was  it  found 
necessary  to  play  all  these  tricks  with  my  clothes? 
Why,  they  must  have  been  made  from  extremely 
careful  measurements.  I  should  say  they  had  been 
modelled  on  one  of  my  own  suits.  And  the  boots 
are  the  strangest  part  of  all — they  fit  me  like 
gloves." 

"It  was  intended  they  should,"  said  Mme.  Es- 
telle. "  And  be  thankful  that  they  do,  for  though 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  explain,  they  have  actually 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  175 

saved  you  from  death.  I  assure  you  that  there  is 
no  man  this  afternoon  iHore  jealous  of  your  safety 
than  Melun." 

"And  Lady  Kathleen?" 

"Lady  Kathleen,"  said  Mme.  Estelle,  gravely, 
"  is  still  in  great  danger — but  it  is  a  danger  of  a 
different  kind." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me,"  cried  Westerham, 
"  that  whereas  my  life  has  been  spared  hers  is  not 
safe." 

Mme.  Estelle  nodded. 

"  Good  Heavens !  "  cried  Westerham.  **  But  this 
is  monstrous — perfectly  monstrous!  What  does  all 
this  juggling  mean?" 

"  Please  don't  excite  yourself.  Sir  Paul ! "  said 
Mme.  Estelle.  "  It  can  do  no  good.  Believe  me 
that  I  bear  Lady  Kathleen  no  ill-will,  and  that  if  I 
can  save  her  I  will  do  so,  even  at  the  cost  of  being 
a  little  disloyal  to  Melun." 

"  But  why  all  this  trickery  and  mystery  ? "  de- 
manded Westerham  again.  "  It  almost  amounts 
to  tomfoolery.  One  would  think  that  Melun  had 
gone  crazy  and  was  indulging  in  some  mad  whim." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  a  whim,  but  it  is  a  whim  with  a 
very  serious  motive." 

"  Come,"  she  added,  "  let's  try  to  get  some  break- 
fast. I  promise  you  that  if  you  will  only  endeavour 
to  get  strong  during  the  day  you  shall  certainly  see 
Lady  Kathleen  to-night." 

"Where?" 

"  Where,"  said  Mme.  Estelle,  "  I  don't  know.  I 
can  only  guess.  It  was  not  my  business  to  ask 
questions  on  that  point.  The  cab  will  call  for  you 
to-night  at  nine." 


176  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"  The  cab !  "  exclaimed  Westerham.  "  Do  you 
mean  the  same  vehicle  which  brought  me  here? 
For  if  you  mean  that  then  I  decline  to  travel  in 
it" 

"  Then  I  fear,"  said  Mme.  Estelle,  sharply,  "  you 
will  have  to  forego  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Lady 
Kathleen.  The  cab  will  be  your  only  means  of 
reaching  her." 

"Do  you  mean  to  tell  me,"  demanded  Wester- 
ham, who  had  been  so  unnerved  by  the  chloroform 
as  to  become  a  little  excited,  "  do  you  mean  that 
I  am  a  prisoner  in  this  house?  " 

"  Only  so  far  as  your  feelings  keep  you  captive," 
was  the  answer. 

"  And  I  know  what  your  feelings  will  say.  They 
will  decide  that  you  must  wait  here  in  patience  until 
the  hour  comes  for  you  to  go  to  Lady  Kathleen." 

Westerham  said  no  more;  it  was  idle  to  argue 
with  this  woman.  Circumstances  were  too  strong 
and  strange  for  him. 

After  breakfast  he  revived  considerably,  and 
Madame  left  him  on  the  couch  with  a  pile  of  maga- 
zines to  amuse  him. 

Lunch  was  served  at  one,  and  the  afternoon 
dragged  slowly  and  painfully  away.  It  was  with 
great  impatience  that  Westerham  watched  the  table 
being  leisurely  and  neatly  laid  for  dinner.  His 
irritation  grew  with  every  passing  minute. 

At  dinner  he  ate  but  little  and  drank  less,  though 
Madame  pleaded  that  a  second  glass  of  champagne 
would  go  far  to  steady  his  considerably  shaken 
nerves. 

Westerham,  however,  declined.  He  had  become 
so  suspicious  of  everybody  and  everything  he  half 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  ITT 

imagined  that,  not  content  with  chloroforming  him, 
his  captors  might  attempt  to  drug  him  also. 

At  the  stroke  of  nine  Westerham  heard  the  rum- 
ble of  wheels  in  the  street,  and,  rising  from  the 
table,  Mme.  Estelle  informed  him  that  the  cab  had 
arrived. 

As  they  stood  in  the  hall  the  woman  held  out  her 
hand  and  Westerham  put  out  his  half-way  to  meet 
it. 

"  Some  day,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  certainly  require 
an  explanation  of  all  these  strange  doings.  In  the 
meantime,  I  don't  think  you  should  take  my  hand 
unless  you  are  sincere  in  your  determination  to  re- 
duce Lady  Kathleen's  danger  in  every  way  you 
can." 

"  Believe  me,"  declared  Madame,  most  earnestly, 
"that  I  am  quite  sincere." 

Westerham  shook  her  by  the  hand. 

It  was  not  until  the  cab  was  bowling  along  Ox- 
ford Street  that  Westerham  began  to  look  about 
him.  He  had  no  idea  of  his  destination,  and  he 
considered  that  it  would  be  just  as  well  to  take 
careful  note  of  the  journey. 

Half-way  between  Oxford  Circus  and  the  Totten- 
ham Court  Road  the  cab  turned  up  to  the  left. 
Peering  through  the  glass,  Westerham  could  just 
make  out  Newman  Street.  At  the  bottom  of  the 
street  the  cab  turned  to  the  left,  then  to  the  right 
again,  then  to  the  left,  and  once  more  to  the  right. 
So  far  as  he  could  tell,  Westerham  gathered  that 
he  must  now  be  parallel  to  the  top  of  Tottenham 
Court  Road,  and  be  a  good  deal  nearer  to  Portman 
Street  than  Oxford  Street. 

Suddenly  the  cab  drew  up  with  a  jingle  and  a 


178  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

clatter,  and  the  driver,  lifting  the  trap-door,  in- 
formed Westerham  that  he  had  reached  his  desti- 
nation. 

Upon  this  Westerham  stepped  out  to  find  him- 
self in  a  narrow,  shabby,  and  almost  deserted 
thoroughfare  of  mean  and  hang-dog  appearance. 

In.  spite  of  this  he  recognised  that  the  houses 
must  once  have  been  the  dwellings  of  well-to-do 
people,  for  the  railings  about  the  areas  were  of 
finely-wrought  iron  and  the  doors  were  high  and 
massive. 

"  Knock  three  single  knocks,"  said  the  cab-driver 
into  his  ear,  and  then  jumping  on  to  the  dicky  the 
man  drove  away. 

Suddenly  Westerham  remembered  that  there  was 
one  pocket  of  his  new  clothes  which  he  had  not 
searched.  His  hand  went  towards  his  hip,  and  he 
was  surprised  to  find  that  his  revolver  was  without 
question  there. 

Glancing  about  to  make  sure  that  he  was  not  ob- 
served, Westerham  drew  it  out  and  felt  with  his 
thumb  along  the  back  barrels.  It  was  still  loaded. 
For  a  second  Westerham  wondered  whether  the 
bullets  had  been  drawn,  but,  opening  the  six-shooter, 
he  satisfied  himself  that  the  cartridges  had  not  been 
tampered  with. 

This  amazed  him  not  a  little,  although  the  dis- 
covery considerably  restored  his  confidence.  At 
least  he  had  to  anticipate  no  further  attack  on  that 
night. 

And  then  he  remembered  the  mysterious  words 
of  Mme.  Estelle :  "  No  man  now  is  more  jealous 
of  your  safety  than  Captain  Melun." 

He  could  not  help  pondering  on  this  point  as  he 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  179 

gave  three  taps  with  the  heavy  old-fashioned 
knocker. 

The  door  was  opened  by  a  man,  apparently  a 
German,  dressed  in  the  black  coat  and  white  shirt 
of  the  traditional  English  butler. 

He  said  something  to  him  in  a  foreign  tongue 
which  Westerham  could  not  understand.  His  ges- 
ture, however,  was  clear  enough,  and  he  walked 
straight  ahead  down  a  dimly-lighted  passage  till  he 
came  to  a  baize  door.  This  the  man  pushed  open 
for  him,  and  he  passed  on  alone,  and  heard  a  bolt 
drawn  behind  him. 

There  was  not  the  slightest  doubt  as  to  the  way 
he  had  to  go.  There  was  no  other  exit  from  the 
place  except  a  flight  of  stone  steps,  which  led  down- 
wards. At  the  bottom  of  the  flight  of  steps  there 
was  a  second  baize  door,  and  through  this  Wester- 
ham passed  along  a  well-carpeted  corridor  faintly 
lit  by  electric  light.  The  passage  had  no  windows, 
and  it  suddenly  struck  Westerham  that  he  was  un- 
derground. 

At  the  end  of  the  corridor  Westerham  encoun- 
tered another  baize  door,  but  as  he  stepped  on  the 
mat  which  was  laid  before  it  he  heard  an  electric 
bell  ring  sharply,  and  the  door  opened  itself. 

As  it  did  so  Westerham  was  almost  blinded  by 
a  flood  of  white  light. 

For  a  moment  he  stood  quite  still,  blinking  and 
endeavouring  to  take  in  the  scene.  But  it  was  the 
sound  of  it  rather  than  the  sight  of  it  which  in- 
stantly told  him  of  the  manner  of  the  place  in  which 
he  stood.  He  heard  the  monotonous  cry  of  croup- 
iers and  the  sharp  click  of  a  ricochetting  roulette 
ball. 


180  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

He  was  most  unquestionably  in  a  gambling-hell. 

That  in  itself  did  not  disturb  him  in  the  least, 
and  as  his  eyes  grew  accustomed  to  the  light  he 
stepped  forward  into  the  room,  only  to  stand  still 
again  and  remain  motionless,  as  though  turned  to 
stone. 

For  there,  at  a  long  table  in  the  centre  of  the 
room,  with  piles  of  gold  and  notes  before  her,  sat 
Lady  Kathleen. 

A  little  cry  which  Westerham  could  not  prevent 
breaking  from  his  lips  drew  the  eyes  of  all  upon 
him.  Lady  Kathleen  glanced  up,  and  catching  his 
gaze  upon  her  turned  as  pale  as  death. 


CHAPTER    XIV 
LADY  Kathleen's  mission 

In  spite  of  Mme.  Estelle's  declaration  that  he 
should  see  Lady  Kathleen  that  night,  and  in  spite 
of  the  conviction  that  Madame  spoke  the  truth, 
Westerham,  strange  to  say,  had  not  expected  to 
find  her  in  the  gaming-house. 

As  he  entered  the  room  of  lights  he  had  for  a 
moment  wondered  for  what  reason  he  had  been 
brought  into  such  a  place,  but  at  the  same  time,  by 
some  swift  mental  process,  he  had  decided  that  the 
mysterious  gaming-house  was  but  a  step  towards 
Lady  Kathleen,  and  not  the  actual  place  in  which 
he  was  to  meet  her. 

For  once  his  intuition  had  played  him  false  and 
he  was  correspondingly  taken  aback  The  deathly 
pallor,  however,  which  had  spread  across  Kathleen's 
face  served  to  bring  him  to  a  swift  realisation  of 
the  situation.  It  was  imperative  that  there  should 
be  no  scene;  matters  then  would  be  doubly  painful. 

Westerham,  therefore,  instantly  turned  away  and 
endeavoured  to  hide  himself  amid  the  odd  jumble 
of  men  who  stood  round  the  table  watching  the 
play. 

The  chloroform  still  hung  heavy  in  Westerham's 
brain,  and  at  first  he  was  quite  unable  to  get  any 
connected  trend  of  thought.  But  presently  his  men- 
tal vision  became  clearer,  and  he  was  able  to  appre- 

181 


ISa  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

date  the  extraordinary  succession  of  events  which 
had  led  up  to  this  cHmax. 

Melun  he  had  not  seen  since  the  night  of  the 
atrocious  murder  at  Walter's  Hotel — and  therefore 
he  had  been  unable  to  extract  from  him  any  infor- 
mation of  that  villainous  and  apparently  purpose- 
less deed. 

For  what  motive  Melun  might  have  in  instigating 
such  a  crime,  except  it  were  to  frighten  him  from 
his  championship  of  Lady  Kathleen,  Westerham 
could  not  say.  Then  had  followed  his  extraor- 
dinary adventure  in  the  hansom  cab  and  Madame's 
enigmatic  utterances  when  he  recovered  his  senses 
in  the  morning. 

And  if  the  motive  of  the  murder  were  obscure, 
the  motive  which  induced  Melun  and  his  accom- 
plices to  change  his  clothes  while  drugged  was 
doubly  hidden. 

What,  moreover,  could  be  the  motive  in  bringing 
him  to  behold  Lady  Kathleen  in  this  gaming-house  ? 

This  last  problem  troubled  him  more  than  the 
others,  and  he  gave  himself  up  to  considering  it  as 
he  crouched  down  seeking  to  hide  himself  in  the 
midst  of  the  motley  crowd  which  swayed  and  jostled 
round  the  tables. 

Even  as  he  debated  this  question  with  himself 
he  took  note  of  the  men  who  hemmed  the  table  in. 
Every  type  of  face  presented  itself — the  .'fleshy 
cheeks  of  middle-aged  Jews,  of  pale  clerks  and 
salesmen,  prosperous-looking  men  who  might  have 
been  commercial  travellers,  and  here  and  there  a 
more  refined-looking  man  in  evening-dress. 

A  few  were  still  playing,  but  the  majority  were 
watching  the  play  of  Lady  Kathleen,  and  it  dawned 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  183 

on  Westerham  that  she  was  waging  a  losing  fight 
with  the  bank. 

Her  face  and  figure  were  in  extraordinary  con- 
trast to  her  surroundings.  She  was,  besides,  the 
only  woman  in  the  room. 

Draped  in  a  long  opera  cloak  from  which  her 
bare  arms  were  thrust,  she  sat  forward  eagerly  in 
her  chair,  her  lips  trembling,  her  eyes  bright  as 
stars. 

On  either  side  of  her  sat  a  sturdy  and  rather 
roughly-dressed  man,  who  took  no  part  in  the  play. 
Westerham  imagined  that  they  were  employees  of 
Melun,  stationed  there  for  the  purpose  of  ensuring 
Lady  Kathleen  against  any  molestation  or  insult. 

Such  a  protection  was  entirely  unnecessary,  for 
every  man  in  the  room  appeared  to  feel  that  he  was 
in  the  presence  of  one  who  not  only  had  the  right, 
but  the  power,  to  command  respect.  In  spite  of  her 
incongruous  surroundings,  and  in  spite  of  her  extra- 
ordinary occupation  of  the  moment,  the  coarse  faces 
by  which  she  was  surrounded  surveyed  her  with  a 
certain  marked  and  almost  sheepish  deference. 

As  the  game  went  on  and  the  croupier  monoto- 
nously raked  in  the  winnings  of  the  bank,  Wester- 
ham suddenly  divined  the  motive  which  had  induced 
Melun  to  send  him  there  to  watch  Lady  Kathleen 
play. 

He  did  not  know  why  she  played,  nor  what  the 
real  stake  might  be,  but  one  thing  was  obvious — 
that  after  he  entered  the  room  and  she  had  caught 
sight  of  his  face  her  luck  suddenly  changed.  She 
had  been  greatly  alarmed  and  distressed;  so  dis- 
concerted, indeed,  that  for  a  few  minutes  she  appar- 
ently lost  all  track  of  the  successful  theory  which 


184  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

she  had  been  following.  And  Westerham  knew 
well  enough  that  if  a  good  player  once  becomes 
unnerved,  his  luck,  for  some  strange  reason,  will 
change  with  his  mood,  and  no  efforts,  however  bold 
or  desperate,  will  avail  him  anything. 

It  amazed  Westerham  beyond  measure  that  Lady 
Kathleen  could  play  such  a  game  with  so  consum- 
mate a  skill  and  so  much  evidence  of  experience. 
He  judged  that  her  father  at  some  time  or  other 
had  let  her  have  a  little  fling  at  Monte  Carlo,  and 
that  profiting  by  such  knowledge  as  she  had  ac- 
quired there  she  had  now  been  playing  an  inspired 
game  for  some  incalculable  stake. 

Westerham  imagined,  too,  that  it  had  probably 
been  Melun's  brutal  fancy  to  drag  the  girl  there  on 
the  promise  that  if  she  won  against  the  bank  he 
would  release  her  father  from  his  torment ;  no  other 
theory  was  possible. 

And  it  made  his  heart  grow  cold  with  rage  as 
he  appreciated  the  fiendish  cleverness  with  which 
Melun  had  engineered  his  entrance  at  a  critical  mo- 
ment. Westerham  had  been  made  the  innocent 
instrument  of  utter  disaster  to  Kathleen. 

So  convinced  did  he  become  of  this  fact  that  he 
shouldered  his  way  through  the  crowd,  and  leaning 
over  Lady  Kathleen's  chair,  whispered  into  her  ear : 
*'  Don't  be  alarmed.  I  see  you  have  been  greatly 
upset.    Please  allow  me  to  assist  you." 

The  man  at  her  right  hand  scowled  angrily,  but 
Westerham  turned  to  him  with  an  urbane  smile. 
"  As  you  do  not  seem  to  be  playing,"  he  said,  "  per- 
haps you  will  allow  me  to  have  your  chair?" 

Nor  had  the  man  any  option  but  to  vacate  his 
seat. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  185 

Westerham's  spirits  rose  as  for  the  first  time  in 
his  Hfe  he  found  himself  seated  by  Kathleen's 
side,  playing  on  her  behalf,  to  win  a  desperate 
game. 

But  the  girl's  inspiration  was  gone,  and  even  his 
skill  at  this  form  of  gambling  availed  him  nothing. 
Time  after  time  they  lost  until  practically  nothing 
remained  of  the  great  pile  of  money  which  had  been 
stacked  on  the  table  before  Lady  Kathleen  when  he 
had  entered  the  room. 

The  girl  watched  the  money  dwindle  with  terri- 
fied eyes,  her  face  growing  paler  and  paler  until 
it  was  ashy  white. 

Westerham  sought  to  console  her.  "  Don't  de- 
spair," he  whispered.  "  I  think  I  have  enough  with 
me  to  see  us  through." 

When  he  had  at  first  sat  down  to  assist  her  she 
had  stared  at  him  with  considerable  astonishment. 
Now  she  appeared  utterly  confused. 

"  I  don't  understand,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice. 
"  You  have  certainly  done  your  best  to  help  me,  but 
I  cannot  see  why  you  wish  me  to  win." 

Westerham  turned  and  looked  her  full  in  the 
eyes.  "  How  long  will  it  be  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  low 
voice,  "  before  you  come  to  trust  me?  " 

He  put  his  hand  into  his  breast-pocket  to  take 
out  the  notes  which  he  had  assured  himself  had  not 
been  removed  while  he  lay  insensible  at  Mme. 
Estelle's. 

The  notes  were  gone. 

It  was  impossible  for  him  to  help  uttering  an 
exclamation  which  drew  Kathleen's  attention  to 
him. 

"  I  have  been  robbed,"  he  said. 


186  THE    CHIME    CLUB 

With  a  little  sob  Lady  Kathleen  rose  from  the 
table  and  steadied  herself  with  her  hands  on  the 
back  of  her  chair. 

At  the  same  moment  the  door  by  which  Wester- 
ham  had  entered  opened  again,  and  there  came  in 
two  gentlemen  in  evening-dress.  A  third  man  fol- 
lowed close  behind  them,  and  a  rush  of  angry  blood 
crept  up  the  back  of  Westerham's  neck  as  he  recog- 
nised Melun. 

The  room  was  quite  hushed.  The  men  about  the 
table  had  been  awed  by  the  vast  sum  of  money 
which  the  mysterious  lady  had  staked  and  lost. 

As  she  moved  a  step  forward  as  though  to  go 
they  drew  aside  to  give  her  free  passage,  so  that 
now  she  found  herself  face  to  face  with  the  men 
who  had  just  entered. 

Looking  over  Lady  Kathleen's  head,  Westerham 
saw  the  two  men  glance  quickly  at  each  other,  their 
faces  a  complete  study  in  well-bred  astonishment. 
They  bowed  to  Lady  Kathleen,  but  said  nothing. 
It  was  Melun  who  brushed  by  them  and  spoke  first. 

"  This  is  a  most  unfortunate  meeting,"  he  said 
to  Lady  Kathleen,  "  and  as  a  friend  of  your  father 
I  would  suggest  that  nothing  should  be  discussed 
here." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  stammered  Kathleen. 

"Nothing,  nothing!"  said  Melun,  hastily,  "ex- 
cept that  this  is  no  fit  place  for  you  to  remain  in. 
Allow  me  to  show  you  the  way  out  at  once." 

Westerham  thrust  himself  between  Kathleen  and 
the  two  men  who  had  entered  with  Melun,  and 
spoke  to  him  in  a  low,  fierce  voice  that  could  not 
be  heard  by  the  girl,  but  was  perfectly  audible  to 
the  others. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  187 

"  I  agree  with  you,  you  miserable  hypocrite,"  he 
said,  "she  will  leave  this  place  at  once." 

Melun  waved  his  hand  at  him  blandly.  "  Quite 
so,"  he  said,  **  quite  so.  We  will  have  a  little  talk 
outside,  but  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  dis- 
tress these  gentlemen." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  returned  Westerham,  "  there 
is  every  reason.  Gentlemen,"  he  said,  stepping  up 
to  the  strangers,  "  I  can  see  that  you  are  well  ac- 
quainted with  this  lady,  who  unfortunately  came 
here  without  my  knowledge,  but  whom  I  now  re- 
gard as  under  my  protection.  The  situation  is,  of 
course,  extraordinary,  and  requires  some  explana- 
tion. If  you  will  be  so  good,  I  shall  be  glad  of  your 
company  for  a  few  moments." 

Without  more  ado  he  pushed  the  baize-covered 
door  open  and  first  bowed  Lady  Kathleen  out. 
Melun  followed,  nervous  and  ill  at  ease.  He  had 
not  looked  for  so  much  determination  on  the  part 
of  Westerham. 

The  two  men  in  evening-dress  glanced  at  each 
other  again,  and  then  passed  out  before  Westerham 
as  he  held  the  door  open  for  them. 

When  the  little  party  was  grouped  in  the  dimly- 
lit  passage  Westerham  went  over  to  Kathleen  and 
touched  her  lightly  on  the  arm. 

"  Lady  Kathleen,"  he  said,  in  a  formal  voice, 
"  you  will  greatly  oblige  me  by  stepping  to  the 
other  end  of  the  passage.  I  have  something  to  say 
to  these  gentlemen." 

Making  a  little  inclination  with  her  head.  Lady 
Kathleen  walked  slowly  away  from  them,  leaving 
Westerham  to  confront  Melun.  And  Westerham 
by  no  means  minced  matters. 


188  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

"  Of  you,"  he  said  in  a  voice  full  of  scorn,  "  I 
will  demand  an  explanation  by-and-by.  Your  mo- 
tive in  dragging  Lady  Kathleen  here  is  sufficiently 
obvious  to  me,  but  is  probably  not  understood  by 
these  gentlemen,  whom  you  have  carefully  brought 
to  witness  her  humiHation." 

Melun  would  have  protested  but  Westerham  cut 
him  short. 

Westerham  took  out  his  card-case  and  offered  a 
card  to  one  of  the  men  in  evening-dress. 

"  My  name,"  he  said,  with  a  rather  bitter  little 
smile,  "will  probably  convey  nothing  to  you.  If, 
however,  you  wish  to  know  on  what  authority  I 
speak,  kindly  communicate  with  Lord  Dunton, 
whom  you  doubtless  know.  He  will  assure  you 
that  I  am  entirely  to  be  trusted,  and  that  the  favour 
I  am  about  to  ask  of  you  is  fully  justified. 

"  For  purposes  of  his  own,  this  individual  " — ^he 
indicated  Melun — "  has  brought  Lady  Kathleen  here 
for  apparently  no  other  reason  in  the  world  than 
that  her  good  name  may  be  connected  with  a  most 
unpleasant  scandal.  Believe  me  or  not  as  you 
please,  I  can  only  assure  you  that  Lady  Kathleen 
was  brought  here  against  her  will.  Unpleasant 
though  these  surroundings  may  be,  they  are  un- 
fortunately connected — intimately  connected — with 
Lord  Penshurst's  affairs.  I  ask  you  on  his  behalf, 
and  on  that  of  his  daughter,  to  give  me  your  word 
that  what  you  have  seen  shall  go  no  further." 

The  elder  man  looked  at  Westerham  shrewdly 
and  made  a  little  bow.  He  liked  the  honesty  of  his 
face  and  the  complete  contempt  with  which  he 
treated  Melun. 

"  I  give  you  my  word  of  honour,"  he  said,  "  and 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  189 

I  make  myself  chargeable  for  my  friend  as  well, 
that  until  we  hear  from  you  further  on  this  matter 
we  will  make  no  mention  of  it  at  all." 

Having  said  this,  he  made  a  little  bow  and  drew 
away,  as  though  to  end  an  awkward  situation.  The 
younger  man  bowed  and  did  the  same. 

Westerham  thereupon  walked  to  the  end  of  the 
passage,  where  Lady  Kathleen  waited  for  him, 
Melun  following  hard  upon  his  footsteps. 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  Westerham,  facing  about 
once  more,  "  but  your  assistance  is  not  required. 
You  will  be  kind  enough  to  call  on  me  at  Walter's 
to-morrow  morning,  when  I  shall  ask  you  for  an 
explanation  of  many  things.  Till  then  I  have  no 
further  need  of  you." 

Lady  Kathleen  listened  to  this  curt  speech  of 
Westerham's  in  an  indifferent  way,  as  though  all 
her  senses  were  partially  numbed.  Still  she  gave 
him  a  quick  little  look  that  was  not  only  a  glance  of 
gratitude,  but  a  look  of  inquiry.  Plainly  she  herself 
was  puzzled  by  the  attitude  Westerham  adopted 
towards  the  captain. 

However,  she  said  nothing  at  all,  nor  did  she  at- 
tempt to  break  the  silence  till  the  cab  in  which  Wes- 
terham drove  her  back  to  Downing  Street  was 
drawing  close  to  Whitehall. 

Then,  as  she  appeared  to  speak  with  a  great 
effort,  turning  her  face  towards  Westerham  and 
peering  at  him  as  though  endeavouring  to  read  his 
thoughts,  she  thanked  him  for  his  intervention. 

"  Mr.  Robinson,"  she  said,  "  I  am  profoundly 
grateful  for  all  that  you  have  done,  though  I  confess 
I  cannot  understand  it  at  all.  H  you  speak  to 
Melun  in  that  way  you  must  be  his  master,  and  if 


190  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

you  are  his  master  it  may  in  reality  have  been  you 
who  dragged  me  to  that  place  to-night  to  pit  my 
poor  little  skill  against  Melun's  bank  for  the  sake 
of  my  father's  honour." 

**  Heaven  forbid  that  I  should  do  such  a  thing," 
cried  Westerham,  fervently,  "and  Heaven  forbid 
that  you  should  believe  me  capable  of  any  such 
villainy !  I  suspected  that  you  had  been  drawn  there 
on  some  such  pretext,  but  I  assure  you  that  I  knew 
nothing  of  it.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  explain 
now  what  has  happened  since  I  saw  you  last.  I 
can  only  tell  you  that  I  have  been  almost  as  badly 
treated  as  yourself." 

As  he  spoke  Lady  Kathleen  drew  away  from 
him  with  a  slight  shudder,  as  though  some  recol- 
lection had  suddenly  come  back  to  her. 

"The  murder,"  she  asked,  "what  of  that?  I 
am  told  that  it  happened  in  your  room  ?  " 

"  I  am  innocent  of  it  in  every  way,"  said  Wester- 
ham, earnestly.  "  Indeed,  I  have  not  yet  discovered 
the  motive  of  such  a  dastardly  act.  I  can,  however, 
make  a  guess,  and  the  guess  fills  me  with  apprehen- 
sion just  as  much  for  my  safety  as  for  yours. 

"  Why  will  you  not  relent,"  he  cried,  "  and  make 
a  confidant  of  me?  Believe  me  that  it  is  within 
my  power  to  help  you,  and  that  I  will  gladly  serve 
you  in  any  way  that  you  choose  to  dictate." 

Kathleen  gave  a  little  sob.  "  Oh ! "  she  ex- 
claimed, "  don't  distress  me  any  further.  It  is  not 
my  secret  but  my  father's — ^besides,  I  am  not  sure 
that  you  do  not  know." 

Westerham  thrust  up  the  trap  and  ordered  the 
cabman  to  stop. 

kWheo  be  had  stepped  out  he  turned  back  and 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  191 

leant  towards  Kathleen.  "You  do  me  a  great 
wrong,"  he  said.  "  But  beHeve  me,  you  cannot 
possibly  fight  for  ever  against  my  determination  to 
serve  you.    I  am  told  that  the  crisis  is  approaching.'* 

He  had  no  notion  what  the  words  meant,  but  he 
desired  to  watch  their  effect,  and  again  he  saw 
Lady  Kathleen's  face  blanch. 

She  stretched  out  both  her  hands  as  though  to 
ward  off  a  blow. 

"  How  near  is  it  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  faint  voice. 

"  Heaven  knows,"  answered  Westerham,  "  and 
it  is  quite  impossible  for  me  to  help  you  unless  you 
will  tell  me  everything.  When  you  need  me,  send 
for  me  at  Walter's  Hotel." 

Again  Kathleen  shuddered,  and  the  cab  drove 
on,  leaving  Westerham  standing  alone  on  the  pave- 
ment lost  in  sorrowful  thought. 

At  Walter's  he  was  received  most  ungraciously. 
He  had  not  been  back  there  since  the  night  of  the 
murder,  and  his  absence  had  caused  great  distrust. 
Though  Inspector  Rookley  had  informed  the  man- 
ager that  no  suspicion  attached  to  his  guest,  Mr. 
Robinson,  his  words  hardly  coincided  with  the  pres- 
ence of  the  younger  detective,  who,  having  taken  a 
room  there,  never  left  the  premises. 

Immediately  on  Westerham's  return  he  communi- 
cated with  his  chief,  and  in  half  an  hour  Rookley 
came  round  from  Scotland  Yard. 

He  sent  his  name  up  to  Westerham  and  Wester- 
ham judged  it  as  well  to  see  the  man  at  once.  The 
inspector  came  up  to  the  little  sitting-room  looking 
grave  and  anxious.  He  also  seemed  a  trifle  nerv- 
ous at  broaching  the  subject  of  Westerham's 
absence. 


192  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

"  Really,  you  know,  Mr.  Robinson,"  he  said, 
"  you  are  hardly  going  the  way  to  give  us  any  con- 
fidence in  you.  Of  course,  I  know  that  you  have 
great  influence  at  your  back,  but  what  the  Prime 
Minister  may  care  to  do  does  not  altogether  affect 
us.  It  is  quite  possible  that  some  of  those  who 
occupy  high  places  may  be  mistaken,  and  it  is  as 
much  for  Lord  Penshurst's  protection  as  for  our 
own  that  we  are  compelled  to  keep  you  *  under 
observation.' 

**  You  have  escaped  once,  but  you  may  not  escape 
so  easily  a  second  time,  and  I  must  warn  you  that 
these  disappearances  of  yours  have  to  be  notified  to 
the  Commissioner  himself.  He  is  very  much 
alarmed  at  the  whole  course  of  events,  and  is  de- 
termined to  take  action  in  spite  of  Lord  Penshurst's 
protestations." 

"  That  seems  to  me,"  said  Westerham,  "  an 
unwise  thing  to  do." 

The  detective  grew  a  trifle  alarmed.  What  he 
had  said  was  only  partially  true,  and  he  felt  that 
he  had  gone  too  far. 

"  Don't  misunderstand  me,"  he  said.  "  Of 
course,  within  reason,  we  are  bound  to  respect  Lord 
Penshurst's  wishes,  but  Scotland  Yard  is  not  a 
political  association;  it  is  a  police  force,  and  if  we 
find  crime  being  introduced  into  politics  it  is  cer- 
tainly our  business  to  inquire  into  the  matter." 

"  Do  I  understand  you  to  suggest  that  Lord  Pens- 
hurst  would  dabble  in  crime?"  asked  Westerham. 

The  detective  threw  up  his  hands  in  horror. 

"  Certainly  not !  "  he  said  vehemently.  "  Cer- 
tainly not!  It  is  you  we  still  suspect,  not  Lord 
Penshurst.     Good  gracious!     Certainly  not!" 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  193 

"  You  suspect  me,  I  presume,  to  such  an  extent," 
replied  Westerham,  "that  if  I  left  this  hotel  I  am 
pretty  sure  to  be  followed.  Well,  follow  me,"  he 
added  with  a  laugh,  "and  catch  me  if  you  can." 

And  taking  up  his  hat  he  walked  out. 

He  was  perfectly  right  in  his  suspicions,  and  as 
he  moved  down  the  Strand  and  looked  into  the 
shop  windows  he  was  conscious  that  a  bulky  man 
dogged  his  footsteps.  The  pursuit,  however,  rather 
sharpened  Westerham's  wits  than  otherwise,  and 
raised  his  spirits  rather  than  depressed  them.  It 
served  to  take  his  thoughts  from  the  grim  business 
which  was  beginning  to  weigh  him  down. 

Westerham's  notions  of  evading  capture  were 
somewhat  immature,  as  it  was  a  new  experience 
for  him  to  find  the  police  constantly  upon  his  track. 
Very  little  ingenuity,  however,  sufficed  to  rid  him, 
at  least  for  a  time,  of  his  pursuers. 

He  strolled  along  Piccadilly  and  up  the  Burling- 
ton Arcade. 

He  entered  Truefit's,  where  he  made  a  small  and 
totally  unnecessary  purchase. 

By  this  move  he  knew  that  he  placed  the  detect- 
ive who  followed  him  in  an  awkward  position. 

He  was  conscious  that  the  man's  face  was  pressed 
against  the  glass  in  an  endeavour  to  keep  him  in 
sight.  He  did  not  enter  the  shop  from  the  very 
•obvious  fear  of  becoming  too  obtrusive. 

Westerham  sauntered  down  the  shop,  and  then, 
before  the  detective  had  any  chance  of  making  even 
an  attempt  at  pursuit,  he  slipped  out  into  Bond 
Street  and  clambered  on  to  a  passing  omnibus. 

As  the  heavy  vehicle  lumbered  past  the  clubs  in 
Piccadilly,  Westerham  took  a  long  breath  of  relief, 


194  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

and  startled  the  other  passengers  by  laughing  aloud. 
He  went  on  to  Victoria,  where  he  made  several 
purchases,  including  a  second-hand  kit-bag. 

Armed  with  this,  he  walked  boldly  into  the  Buck- 
ingham Palace  Hotel  and  there  booked  a  room. 

Immediately  after  this  he  wrote  a  note  to  Lord 
Dunton,  asking  him  to  call  at  once,  for  he  was 
anxious  that  he  should  be  warned  in  time  of  the 
visit  the  two  men  he  had  met  at  the  gaming-house 
the  night  before  would  surely  pay  him. 

Little  by  little  Westerham  had  begun  to  confide 
in  Dunton.  For  in  spite  of  that  youthful  noble- 
man's apparent  flightiness  he  was,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  discretion  itself  and  a  very  tomb  for 
secrets. 

To  his  dismay,  however,  the  messenger-boy 
whom  he  had  dispatched  with  the  note  returned 
with  word  that  Lord  Dunton  had  a  couple  of  days 
before  run  over  to  Paris,  and  that  he  was  not  ex- 
pected back  till  the  following  afternoon. 

This  landed  Westerham  in  a  particularly  awk- 
ward predicament.  It  was  imperative  that  he 
should  see  Melun  as  soon  as  possible,  if  only  for 
the  purpose  of  threatening  to  give  him  into  charge 
for  murder.  It  was  only,  too,  from  Melun  that  he 
was  likely  to  hear  any  news  of  Lady  Kathleen 
until  Dunton  returned  to  help  him  out  of  his  diffi- 
culty. 

On  the  other  hand,  should  he  send  for  Melun, 
Melun  was  shrewd  enough  to  warn  the  police 
at  once  of  Westerham's  whereabouts.  And  this,  as 
his  complete  freedom  of  movement  might  become 
absolutely  necessary,  .Westerham  could  not  afford 
to  risk. 


< 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  195 

Twenty- four  hours,  then,  he  remained  in  the 
hotel,  chafing  against  the  delay,  and  pacing  the 
floor  of  his  room  hour  by  hour  in  a  vain  endeavour 
to  unravel  the  tangled  skein  of  mystery  in  which 
he  was  enmeshed. 

On  the  following  day,  as  Dunton  had  not  arrived 
by  four  o'clock,  Westerham  sent  round  to  his  rooms 
again,  only  to  receive  the  heart-breaking  news  that 
Dunton  was  still  absent.  He  despatched  a  further 
and  yet  more  urgent  message  to  Dunton's  rooms, 
and  sat  down  to  wait  again. 

It  was  half-past  seven  when  Dunton  leisurely 
descended  from  a  hansom  and  strolled  up  the  steps 
of  the  hotel. 

Westerham  almost  rushed  forward  to  meet  him, 
and  grasping  him  by  the  arm  dragged  him  into  the 
smoking-room. 

There  he  made  as  complete  a  statement  as  he 
dared  of  all  that  had  happened  in  the  past  two  days ; 
and  Lord  Dunton  opened  his  innocent-looking  blue 
eyes  very  wide  indeed. 

"  By  Jove,"  he  said  from  time  to  time. 

"  I  should  not  tell  you  all  this,"  Westerham  con- 
cluded, "  unless  I  were  absolutely  certain  that  I 
could  trust  you. 

"  I  have  no  idea  who  the  men  were  that  I  saw  at 
the  Faro  Club,  but  I  don't  suppose  that  it  will  be 
long  before  they  call." 

"  I  fancy  that  they  have  called  already,"  said 
Dunton.  "  When  I  got  back  this  afternoon  I  found 
that  cards  had  been  left  by  Lord  Cuckfield  and  a 
chap  by  the  name  of  Mendip,  My  man  said  that 
they  came  together,  so  I  presume  they  are  the 
Johnnies  you  mean.     And  I  won't  let  the  grass 


196  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

grow  under  my  feet.  I'll  look  them  up  to-night 
and  tell  them  that  they  have  got  to  keep  their 
mouths  shut  and  to  take  you  on  trust. 

"  By  the  way,"  added  Dunton,  "  this  business 
seems  to  grow  '  curiouser  and  curiouser '  as  Alice 
would  say.  I  should  have  been  back  before  but 
some  unaccountable  inclination  made  me  break  my 
journey  at  Rouen.  I  was  there  this  afternoon,  and 
who  should  I  see  but  the  heroine  of  all  this 
mystery." 

"  What !  "  shouted  Westerham,  utterly  shaken 
out  of  himself,  "  not  Lady  Kathleen? " 

"  Lady  Kathleen  herself,"  answered  Dunton. 

"  Good  God !  "  cried  Westerham.  "  The  crisis 
must  be  at  hand  indeed.  She  has  been  lured  over 
there  to  her  death." 

Dunton  dropped  his  eyeglass  and  stared  at  his 
friend  in  amazement.  Westerham  was  almost  be- 
side himself  with  anxiety  and  rage. 

"  Don't  sit  staring  there  like  a  gibbering  idiot," 
he  almost  yelled,  "but  give  me  some  money. 
Quick!  They  have  taken  my  notes,  and  I  have 
practically  spent  all  my  loose  cash  on  the  things  I 
need  here." 

Dunton  began  to  fumble  in  his  pockets.  "You 
cannot  expect  a  fellow  to  have  much  about  him 
when  he  has  just  come  back  from  Paris,"  he  grum- 
bled. "  Still,  I  think  I  can  dig  up  twenty  pounds 
or  so." 

Westerham  stood  over  him.  "  Come  along ! 
Come  along !  "  he  urged.  "  Every  penny  you  have 
got." 

With  a  queer  smile  Dunton  emptied  his  pockets 
and  poured  the  contents  into  Westerham's  palms. 


THE    CHlMfi    CLUB  1^1 

"All  right!  All  right!"  he  said.  "Don't  be 
in  such  a  hurry.    It's  most  disturbing." 

"  You  fool !  "  cried  Westerham  again.  "  Don't 
you  understand  that  I  have  only  ten  minutes  in 
which  to  catch  the  boat-train?" 

And  without  another  word  he  bolted  out  of  the 
room. 


CHAPTER  XV 

BY  ORDER  OF  THE  CZAR 

Swift  as  the  cab  was,  Westerham  only  caught  the 
boat-train  by  a  minute,  and  at  that  without  a  ticket. 

He  had  then  two  hours  for  calm  reflection,  and  to 
some  extent  self-reproach.  Never  in  his  life  before 
had  he  been  so  unnerved,  and  the  expressions  of  ir- 
ritation which  he  had  made  at  the  Buckingham 
Palace  Hotel  before  Dunton  did  not  seem  to  him 
good. 

He  saw  that  his  was  not  a  fit  state  of  mind  to  be 
in  if  he  intended  to  steer  safely  through  the  trou- 
bled waters  ahead  of  him. 

Some  things  were  growing  clearer  to  his  mind. 
More  and  more  he  was  coming  to  realise  the  clever, 
if  circuitous,  means  by  which  Melun  was  seeking  to 
break  down  Lady  Kathleen's  resistance  and  render 
his  own  task  harder. 

But  this  new  move  disturbed  him  more  than  any 
which  had  yet  been  made.  He  could  find  no  reason 
for  the  scene  of  the  conflict  being  suddenly  trans- 
ferred from  England  to  France,  unless,  indeed, 
Melun  had  at  last  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Wes- 
terham was  too  dangerous  a  man  to  play  with. 

Soon  he  saw,  however,  that  speculation  was  ut- 
terly useless.  All  his  efforts  must  be  concentrated 
upon  his  finding  Lady  Kathleen,  and  if  necessary 
compelling  her  by  sheer  force  to  capitulate  and  take 
him  into  her  confidence. 

He  set  his  heart  upon  this  so  strongly  that  he  per- 

198 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  199 

suaded  himself  that  there  were  no  difficulties  in  his 
way.  It  would  be  strange  indeed  if,  when  the  mo- 
ment came,  he  would  not  be  able  to  induce  Lady 
Kathleen  to  reveal  those  things  which  up  to  then  she 
had  so  obstinately  and  persistently  hid. 

The  night  was  calm,  and  the  passage  to  Dieppe  a 
smooth  one,  but  on  the  quay  Westerham  received  a 
sharp  demonstration  that  the  difficulties  which  he 
had  mentally  brushed  aside  nevertheless  remained  to 
be  grappled  with  in  actual  fact. 

To  begin  with,  he  had  no  luggage.  He  did  not 
even  possess  an  overcoat,  and  as  it  had  come  on  to 
rain,  and  for  the  sake  of  greater  freedom  of  thought 
he  had  remained  on  deck,  his  appearance  was  al- 
ready travel-worn  and  bedraggled. 

Small  wonder,  therefore,  that  as  he  presented  the 
ticket  with  which  he  had  been  provided  at  New- 
haven  the  officials  of  the  douane  regarded  him  with 
keen  suspicion. 

"  Monsieur  has  nothing  to  declare  ?  "  they  asked. 

He  could  only  shrug  his  shoulders  and  say: 

"Nothing.     Absolutely  nothing." 

To  avoid  further  questionings  he  added:  "I 
have  not  even  an  overcoat." 

They  looked  him  up  and  down,  and  his  appear- 
ance inspired  a  certain  amount  of  respect.  None 
the  less,  they  took  counsel  together,  and  with  an 
ever-watchful  eye  Westerham  saw  them  approach 
a  portly  person  of  an  intensely  British  aspect. 

Presently  this  individual  came  up  to  him  and 
asked  in  most  unmistakably  English  terms  what 
Westerham's  destination  might  be. 

Westerham  told  the  m^n  shprtly  that  his  destina-f 
tion  was  Rouen, 


200  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

"  You  must  excuse  me,  sir,"  said  the  man,  whom 
Westerham  guessed  to  be  a  Scotland  Yard  repre- 
sentative at  the  port  of  Dieppe,  "  but  it  is  rather 
unusual  for  gentlemen  to  travel  without  luggage 
and  without  even  so  much  as  an  overcoat.  It  is 
even  more  curious,"  he  added,  "  when  they  start  on 
a  journey  without  first  taking  a  ticket." 

Westerham  surveyed  the  man  coolly  with  a 
faintly  insolent  air.  He  was  coming  to  realise  that 
whereas  in  ordinary  times  the  consciousness  of  his 
own  good  faith  enabled  him  to  pass  every  barrier 
with  the  superiority  born  of  an  easy  conscience,  it 
required  some  brazenness  to  face  obstructions  of 
this  sort  when  he  had  a  desire  for  secrecy. 

And  the  fat  man  was  evidently  shrewd.  He 
might  take  life  easily  on  the  quay,  and  watch  with 
thoughtful  and  even  drowsy  eyes  the  coming  and 
going  of  innumerable  English  voyagers,  but  for  all 
that  his  alertness  only  slept,  and  though  he  had  an 
instinctive  trust  of  Westerham's  face  and  manner, 
still  he  could  not  deny  that  appearances  were 
against  the  Englishman  who  travelled  so  unpro- 
vided for  a  journey  and  with  such  evident  haste. 

"  Of  course,"  he  said  apologetically,  "  you  will 
excuse  my  being  persistent  in  making  inquiries,  for, 
after  all,  that  is  only  my  duty." 

"  Quite  so,"  said  Westerham,  with  a  genial  smile, 
"  and  how  can  I  help  you  to  do  it  ?  " 

With  some  pomposity  of  manner  the  English  de- 
tective produced  a  fat  note-book. 

"  I'm  afraid,"  he  said,  "  that  I  must  ask  you  to 
give  me  your  name." 

Westerham  smiled  a  little  to  himself  to  think 
how  futile  was  such  a  precaution  on  the  man's 


THE    CRIME     CLUB  201 

part.  He  was  at  liberty  to  give  him  what  name  he 
chose;  he  could  give  him  the  first  name  that  came 
into  his  head. 

**  I  think,"  he  laughed,  "  that  for  safety's  sake 
you  had  better  call  me  Charles  Grey,  though  how 
on  earth  you  are  to  ascertain  whether  that  is  my 
real  name  or  not  I  confess  I  cannot  see." 

The  fat  detective  sucked  in  his  lips  and  wrote  the 
name  laboriously  in  his  book. 

"  After  all,"  he  said,  with  some  asperity,  "  people 
who  give  wrong  names  and  addresses  seldom  come 
to  any  good." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  said  Westerham,  and  walked  a 
little  moodily  towards  the  train.  He  paid  the 
guard  handsomely  enough  to  warrant  the  man's  not 
forgetting  to  call  him  at  Rouen.  But  still  Wester- 
ham felt  that  he  had  so  much  at  stake  that  he  could 
leave  nothing  to  chance,  and  so  he  sat  upright, 
wakeful  and  watchful,  while  the  train  rushed 
through  the  apple  trees  of  Normandy  to  the  old 
cathedral  city. 

When  he  arrived  there  it  was  raining  hard,  and 
he  was  conscious  that  he  was  again  an  object  of  sus- 
picion as  he  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  station  look- 
ing about  him  in  search  of  a  fiacre. 

No  vehicle  was  in  sight,  and  Westerham  set  him- 
self to  tramp  up  the  hill  to  the  Hotel  de  la  Cloche, 
at  which  he  had  stayed  long  years  before,  and  of 
which  he  still  entertained  a  lively  recollection  of  its 
cleanness  and  its  quaintness. 

The  hotel  slept,  and  Westerham  heard  the  bell 
pealing  through  the  silent  house  as  he  stood  shiver- 
ing and  waiting  on  the  doorstep. 

Presently  he  heard  the  sound  of  bolts  being  with- 


203  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

drawn  and  a  shock-headed  night  porter  thrust  his 
face  out  into  the  damp  morning  air. 

The  sight  of  Westerham's  tall  figure  drew  his 
immediate  attention. 

"What  does  Monsieur  require?"  he  asked  in 
accents  which  were  at  once  civil  and  surprised. 

"Let  me  in,"  said  Westerham,  "and  I  will  do 
my  best  to  explain." 

The  man  switched  on  the  electric  light,  and  Wes- 
terham, treading  warily  on  the  polished  parquet 
floor,  made  his  way  to  a  seat.  He  was  feeling 
fatigued  and  not  a  little  miserable. 

First  he  took  the  precaution  of  drawing  a  couple 
of  half-crowns  from  his  pocket  and  slipping  them 
into  the  man's  hand. 

"  You  need  not  be  alarmed  at  my  appearance," 
he  said.  "  I  am  not  a  fugitive  from  justice.  I  am 
merely  an  English  gentleman  who  has  lost  his 
friends  and  who  is  in  search  of  them. 

"  Tell  me  if  you  have  staying  in  this  hotel  a  very 
tall  young  English  lady  with  dark  hair  and  dark 
eyes  ?  It  is  possible  that  she  is  travelling  incognito, 
but  if  she  has  given  her  right  name  it  will  be  the 
Lady  Kathleen  Carfax." 

The  man  scratched  his  head  and  looked  worried. 

"  I  would  help  Monsieur  if  I  could,"  he  said, 
"but  I  can  only  assure  him  that  there  is  no  Eng- 
lish lady  staying  in  this  hotel  at  all.  Alas !  the  sea- 
son is  very  bad,  and  we  have  few  English  visitors." 

That  Lady  Kathleen  was  not  at  the  Hotel  de  la 
Cloche  did  not  disconcert  Westerham  very  much. 
He  had  foreseen  that  she  was  hardly  likely  to  stay 
in  the  most  prominent  hotel  in  the  town.  He  had 
merely  called  there  because  he  knew  that  if  one 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  203 

wishes  to  make  one's  path  smooth  in  a  foreign  city 
it  is  just  as  well  first  to  win  the  confidence  of  some 
hotel  porter. 

*'  It  is  many  years,"  he  said  to  the  man,  "  since 
I  stayed  here.  In  fact,  I  have  practically  no  recol- 
lection of  Rouen  except  of  this  hotel  and  the  cathe- 
dral. I  should  therefore  be  very  much  obliged  if 
you  could  furnish  me  with  a  complete  list  of  all 
the  hotels  where  English  people  are  likely  to  be 
found." 

"  Why  now,"  said  the  man,  "  that  is  an  exceed- 
ingly simple  affair."  And  he  rattled  off  a  list  of 
hotels. 

Westerham  repeated  them  after  him,  but  found 
he  could  not  remember  so  many.  Therefore  he 
wrote  them  down. 

*'  And  you  think,"  he  asked,  "  that  this  is  a  com- 
plete list?" 

"  Quite  complete,  I  should  say,"  said  the  man, 
"  for  Monsieur's  purpose." 

With  a  weary  air  Westerham  rose  from  the 
cane-backed  chair  on  which  he  was  seated. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  have  disturbed  you,"  he  said  to 
the  porter,  "but  I  must  go  in  search  of  this  lady 
at  once." 

The  man  spread  out  his  hands  with  a  deprecat- 
ing gesture.  "  It  is  still  very  dark,"  he  said,  "  and 
Monsieur  will  find  the  hotels  closed.  Moreover,  I 
do  not  wish  to  be  rude  to  Monsieur,  all  the  night 
porters  may  not  be  so  accommodating  as  myself. 

"  Permit  me  to  help  Monsieur,"  he  went  on. 
"  Monsieur  will  pardon  me,  but  possibly  this  may 
be  some  romance." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  again,  but  with  such 


^04>  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

an  air  of  civility  and  respect  that  Westerham  could 
not  quarrel  with  him. 

"  At  any  rate,  it  is  not  my  business  to  inquire. 
For  the  time  it  is  merely  my  end  to  serve  Mon- 
sieur well.  Be  seated  for  a  little  while  I  make 
coffee  and  bring  rolls  and  butter.  It  will  fortify 
Monsieur  against  the  damp  air." 

Laughing  a  little,  Westerham  sat  down  again, 
and  suffered  the  man  to  bustle  about.  The  fellow 
was  deft  indeed,  and  soon  Westerham  was  glad 
that  he  had  listened  to  his  counsel. 

The  dawn  came  up,  and  the  porter  turned  the 
lights  out,  and  Westerham  sat  in  the  twilight  of 
the  early  morning  smoking  more  or  less  contentedly 
cigarettes  of  the  Caporal  brand. 

Shortly  after  six  the  man,  who  had  been  busy 
cleaning  boots,  returned  and  made  a  gesture  to- 
wards the  sunlight,  which  was  streaming  into  the 
room, 

"  If  Monsieur  is  in  haste,"  he  said,  "I  will  not 
seek  to  detain  him.  By  this  time  the  other  hotels 
will  be  open.  If  Monsieur's  mission  is  urgent  he 
should  continue  his  search." 

His  air  was  so  friendly  and  so  charming  that 
Westerham  resorted  to  the  only  expression  of  ap- 
preciation of  which  he  could  conceive.  He  gave 
the  man  another  five  shillings,  and  pledged  him  to 
silence.  None  the  less,  he  had  little  faith  that  the 
man  would  keep  his  tongue  still.  The  Frenchman 
must  talk. 

Thereafter  Westerham  went  out  into  the  fresh 
morning  air  and  began  his  search.  In  turn  he 
visited  the  Hotel  de  la  Poste,  the  Grand,  the  Eu- 
rope, and  the  rest  of  them. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  ^05 

It  cost  him  a  pretty  sum  to  purchase  the  con- 
fidence of  half-suspicious  and  still  sleepy  porters, 
but  by  the  time  he  had  worked  through  the  list  of 
hotels  with  which  the  man  at  the  Hotel  de  la  Cloche 
had  provided  him  he  had  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  Lady  Kathleen  was  of  a  certainty  not  in  one 
of  these  hostelries. 

Was  she  still  in  Rouen?  The  doubt  troubled 
Westerham  greatly,  but  he  reflected  that  she  might 
have  elected  to  put  up  at  a  more  humble  hotel  than 
any  of  those  at  which  he  had  called.  So  with  the 
assistance  of  a  fairly  friendly  policeman  he  se- 
cured a  second  and  much  longer  list  of  minor 
inns. 

The  search,  too,  was  successful.  In  a  small  and 
narrow  street  he  discovered  a  small  hotel  which 
went  by  the  name  of  the  Republique.  Here  his 
question  put  to  the  plump  Madame  who  opened  the 
door  at  once  kindled  interest. 

"  Yes,  there  was  most  decidedly  an  English  lady 
staying  there — a  young  English  lady  of  most  dis- 
tinguished appearance.  She  had  arrived  about  noon 
on  the  day  before,  and  said  she  intended  to  stay 
there  for  a  couple  of  days,  as  she  expected  friends." 

"  Had  the  friends  arrived  ?  " 

"No,  not  as  yet.  Perhaps  Monsieur  was  the 
friend  for  whom  she  waited?" 

Westerham  doubted  that,  and  found  the  situa- 
tion a  trifle  awkward  to  explain. 

"  No,"  he  said  to  the  fat  Madame,  he  was  not 
the  friend  whom  Mademoiselle  had  come  to  meet. 
He  was,  however,  an  acquaintance,  and  would  call 
later  in  the  day. 

Contenting  himself  with  this,  he  lifted  his  hat 


206  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

and  strolled  down  the  street,  followed  by  the 
shrewd  eyes  of  the  landlady. 

He  walked  on  until  he  felt  sure  he  was  no  longer 
observed;  then  he  walked  back  again. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  to  the  Repub- 
lique,  a  few  doors  up,  he  discovered  a  cafe  of  hum- 
ble aspect,  provided  with  tables  beneath  an  awning 
at  which  the  thirsty  could  sit  and  refresh  them- 
selves. 

At  one  of  these  tables  Westerham  took  a  chair, 
and  at  the  risk  of  violent  indigestion  called  for 
more  coffee.  He  sat  and  sipped  the  sweet  and  chic- 
ory-flavoured liquid  and  turned  about  in  his  mind 
the  best  means  of  discovering  the  reason  of  Lady 
Kathleen's  visit  to  Rouen. 

He  debated  with  himself  whether  it  would  not 
be  better  to  go  boldly  over  to  the  hotel  and  make 
his  presence  known;  but  he  reflected  that  such  a 
course  might  be  unwise,  more  especially  as  Kath- 
leen might  still  elect  to  remain  silent  on  the  mys- 
tery which  still  so  much  perplexed  him.  Indeed, 
his  presence  might  result  in  her  abandoning  the 
business  which  had  called  her  so  suddenly  from 
London. 

As  time  went  on  he  glanced  up  and  down 
the  street,  watching  everyone's  approach  with  in- 
terest. Westerham  half  expected  to  see  the  face 
of  Melun.  Instead,  however,  towards  half-past 
eight  his  attention  was  aroused  by  the  appearance 
of  a  man  whose  aspect  was  out  of  keeping  with  the 
little  street. 

The  stranger  was  above  middle  height,  and  bore 
himself  with  a  certain  air  of  quiet  dignity.  He  was 
dressed  in  black,  his  clothes  being  well  cut,  though 
of  obviously  foreign  tailoring. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  SOT 

It  was  the  man's  face,  however,  which  riveted 
Westerham's  attention.  It  was  very  dark,  and  the 
nose  was  somewhat  flat.  Yet  it  was  a  face  of  great 
refinement  and  a  distinction  accentuated  in  a 
strange  way  by  a  long,  black,  and  well-trimmed 
beard. 

The  man  was  not  a  Frenchman,  nor,  Wester- 
ham  decided,  was  he  a  German;  certainly  he  was 
not  an  Italian  nor  an  Austrian.  A  subtle  some- 
thing about  the  man's  whole  appearance,  indeed, 
brought  Westerham  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was 
a  Russian. 

Yet  why  he  fixed  his  nationality  this  way  he 
could  not  tell,  and  then  that  intuition  which  was 
Westerham's  great  aid  in  times  of  trouble  told  him 
that  this  dignified  and  daintily-walking  stranger  was 
in  some  manner  connected  with  Lady  Kathleen's 
presence  at  the  Hotel  de  la  Republique. 

So  certain  of  this  did  he  become  that  he  took 
the  precaution  of  drawing  further  back  into  the 
cafe,  where  he  could  sit  in  the  shadows  and  watch 
the  passage  of  the  stranger  without  arousing  any 
interest  himself. 

Twice  the  black-bearded  man  walked  up  the 
street,  glancing  sharply  at  the  Republique,  and 
twice  he  walked  back  with  the  same  meditative  and 
dilatory  air.  Then  he  turned  the  corner  and  dis- 
appeared. 

The  patron  of  the  inn  busied  himself  about  the 
cafe,  and,  seemingly  curious  about  the  visitor's  long 
sojourn,  Westerham  ordered  a  further  supply  of 
the  chicory-like  coffee. 

As  the  morning  wore  on  so  the  sunshine  became 
stronger,  till  the  cobbles  in  the  little  streets  shone 
hard  and  bright  in  the  glare. 


S08  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

At  ten  Westerham's  glance  was  attracted  by- 
some  bustle  about  the  door  of  the  inn,  and  he  saw 
the  fat  landlady  bowing  and  scraping  on  the  white 
doorstep,  and  then  out  of  the  shadows  into  the  sun- 
shine came  the  girl  he  had  come  to  find. 

Dressed  all  in  black  and  thickly  veiled,  Lady 
Kathleen  came  quickly  out  of  the  doorway  and 
walked  down  the  street. 

Westerham,  who  had  taken  the  precaution  to  pre- 
viously settle  his  score,  immediately  rose  and 
walked  after  her. 

The  street  was  so  narrow  and  there  were  so  many 
people  about  that  he  had  to  follow  Kathleen  pretty 
closely  in  order  to  avoid  losing  her.  He  noted  with 
some  surprise  that  she  walked  straight  ahead,  as 
though  of  prearranged  purpose,  never  faltering  and 
never  so  much  as  glancing  to  the  right  or  to  the 
left. 

He  followed  her  down  the  hill,  and  so  into  the 
space  about  the  cathedral,  where  busy  women  were 
setting  out  their  wares — ^poultry,  pottery,  vegetables 
and  the  like. 

More  than  one  head  was  turned  to  note  the 
quick,  silent  passage  of  Lady  Kathleen.  Hers,  in- 
deed, was  a  physique  which  could  not  have  escaped 
notice,  no  matter  what  its  surroundings. 

On  the  market-square,  having  a  clearer  view  be- 
fore him,  Westerham  slackened  his  pace  and  al- 
lowed Lady  Kathleen  to  increase  the  distance  be- 
tween them. 

Still  she  walked  straight  ahead,  as  one  who  fol- 
lows an  oft-trodden  path  and  knows  full  well 
whither  that  path  leads. 

She  moved  up  the  cathedral  steps,  and  as  she 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  209 

did  so  Westerham  saw  approaching  the  sombre  fig- 
ure of  the  black-bearded  man  whose  presence  in  the 
little  street  by  the  Hotel  de  la  Republique  had 
aroused  his  interest  earlier  in  the  morning. 

But  though  their  steps  were  evidently  leading 
them  to  the  same  spot,  neither  the  black-bearded 
man  nor  Lady  Kathleen  made  the  least  sign.  The 
girl  passed  into  the  cathedral,  the  man  following 
closely  on  her  heels. 

In  fear  of  losing  sight  of  them  Westerham  al- 
most ran  across  the  square  and  darted  up  the  cathe- 
dral steps.  But  for  all  his  speed  his  feet  fell 
silently,  so  that  neither  the  girl  nor  the  man,  who 
now  walked  by  her  side,  heard  his  quick  pursuit. 

Once  in  the  cathedral,  Westerham  paused  to  ac- 
custom his  eyes  to  the  dimness  of  the  light. 

Far  up  the  nave  he  could  see  the  man  and  the 
girl  walking  side  by  side. 

Then  they  turned  from  the  nave  into  the  north 
aisle  and  made  their  way  thence  into  one  of  the 
dark  recesses  of  a  side  chapel. 

As  he  watched  them  vanish  into  the  shadows 
Westerham  paused. 

He  felt  that  he  was  spying,  and  the  task  was  an 
uncongenial  one,  but  he  comforted  himself  with 
the  reflection  that,  after  all,  he  played  the  spy  out 
of  a  desire  to  serve  Lady  Kathleen,  and  he  walked 
on. 

He  saw  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to 
approach  the  side  chapel  by  the  same  way  as  Lady 
Kathleen  had  if  he  wished  to  remain  unobserved. 
So  he  turned  aside  and  drew  near  to  the  chapel  by 
another  way,  sheltering  himself  behind  the  pillars, 
which  cast  black  shadows  on  the  floor. 


mo  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Westerham  was  following  his  old  stalking  habit, 
which  he  had  acquired  when  in  pursuit  of  big  game 
among  the  giant  pines  of  the  Rockies.  Yet  with 
all  his  care  he  almost  blundered  into  his  quarry. 
For,  as  he  moved  silently  round  a  pillar,  he  be- 
came conscious  that  he  was  so  near  to  Lady  Kath- 
leen that  he  could  have  stretched  out  his  hand  and 
touched  her. 

In  an  instant  he  drew  back  and  stood  still  behind 
a  massive  column.  He  could  see  nothing,  but  he 
could  hear  the  voices  of  the  girl  and  her  companion 
in  low  and  earnest  conversation. 

At  first  it  was  the  man  who  did  most  of  the  talk- 
ing, and  from  what  scraps  of  his  words  he  could 
catch  Westerham  judged  him  to  be  speaking  in 
French.  He  droned  on  for  some  minutes,  and  then 
his  voice  died  away. 

Lady  Kathleen  now  asked  several  questions  in 
quiet,  low  tones.  The  man  answered  sharply  and 
incisively,  and  it  seemed  to  Westerham  that  there 
was  command  in  his  voice. 

For  a  while  there  was  a  complete  silence,  which 
at  last  was  broken  by  long,  choking  sobs.  Edging 
a  little  nearer  round  the  pillar,  Westerham  saw 
Kathleen  kneeling  upon  a  prie-dieu  as  though  in  an 
abandonment  of  grief.  She  was  crying  as  though 
her  heart  would  break,  her  face  buried  in  her  hands. 

The  sombre  man  stood  by  like  some  tall  shadow, 
silent  and  unmoving. 

A  quick  and  great  desire  to  go  to  Kathleen's  aid, 
to  gather  her  into  his  arms  and  comfort  her,  took 
possession  of  Westerham.  But  great  as  his  desire 
was,  he  forced  it  down,  recognising  that  the  mo- 
ment had  not  come  for  him  to  intervene. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  211 

Presently  the  sombre  man  moved  closer  to  Lady 
Kathleen's  side,  and,  putting  out  a  gloved  hand, 
touched  her  lightly,  and  with  the  air  of  one  offer- 
ing silent  sympathy,  on  the  shoulder. 

Westerham  heard  him  murmuring  what  must 
have  been  words  of  comfort,  and  before  long  Kath- 
leen lifted  her  face  and  resolutely  wiped  away  her 
tears.  Then  she  rose  and  went  forward  to  the  al- 
tar, on  the  steps  of  which  she  knelt  and  prayed. 

Finally  she  came  back  to  the  black-bearded  man 
and  held  out  her  hand,  and  Westerham  saw  with 
still  growing  wonder  that  the  man  bent  over  it  as 
though  with  great  respect  and  brushed  Kathleen's 
fingers  with  his  lips.  Without  any  further  word 
Kathleen  walked  quickly  and  quietly  away,  making 
for  the  door  through  which  she  had  entered  the 
cathedral.  The  man,  with  a  little  sigh,  picked  up 
his  hat  and  followed  her,  Westerham  hard  upon  his 
heels. 

Outside  in  the  sunshine,  Westerham  watched 
Kathleen  make  across  the  square  by  the  way  which 
she  had  come.  Her  companion  turned  abruptly  to 
the  right  and  walked  rapidly  away. 

Westerham  followed  Kathleen  back  till  she  came 
to  the  Hotel  de  la  Republique,  when  she  disap- 
peared through  the  doorway. 

Once  again  Westerham  took  his  seat  at  a  table 
underneath  the  awning  of  the  cafe  that  he  might 
watch  developments. 

And  if  on  the  night  before  he  had  been  com- 
pletely unable  to  understand  the  reasons  which  had 
taken  Lady  Kathleen  to  Rouen,  he  was  infinitely 
more  out  of  his  mental  depths  now.  This  sombrely- 
attired,  black-bearded  man  could  not  possibly  be 


2ia  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

any  tool  of  Melun's.  Melun  did  not  employ  g-en- 
tlemen,  and  that  this  man  was  one  Westerham  did 
not  doubt.  For  two  hours  he  sat  and  watched  the 
doorway  and  the  street;  but  no  one  either  came  or 
went  whom  Westerham  could  even  distantly  con- 
nect with  Lady  Kathleen. 

All  the  while  he  sat  there  he  suffered  great  agony 
of  mind.  It  was  torture  to  him  to  think  that  not  a 
score  of  yards  away  Kathleen  sat  alone  and  in  great 
distress,  and  that  he  was  powerless  to  comfort  her. 

Yet  was  he  powerless?  He  could  at  least  make 
one  more  attempt  to  help  her.  With  this  resolve 
he  crossed  the  road  and  asked  to  see  the  English 
lady  staying  there. 

He  sent  up  no  name,  deeming  it  wiser  not  to  do 
so.  He  recognised  that  Kathleen  was  of  that  type 
of  woman  who,  if  danger  threatens,  must  know 
the  worst  at  once.  She  would  be  curious  to  dis- 
cover the  identity  of  the  stranger  who  sought  an 
audience  with  her,  and  would  ask  him  to  go  up. 

In  this  opinion  he  was  justified,  for  the  fat  land- 
lady came  down  and  said  that  the  English 
mademoiselle  would  be  pleased  to  see  him.  He 
went  quietly  up  the  stairs,  and  without  so  much  as 
knocking  at  the  door  walked  into  the  little  sitting- 
room  which  Kathleen  had  engaged. 

As  she  beheld  him  she  started  back  with  a  quick 
cry  of  terror.  "  Even  here !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  Must  you  follow  me  even  here?" 

Westerham  bowed  his  head.  Now  that  he  found 
himself  in  her  presence  explanation  became  diffi- 
cult. For  a  few  minutes  he  could  say  nothing  but 
stood  watching  Kathleen,  who  had  sunk  down  into 
a  chair  as  if  utterly  worn  out  in  body  and  in  spirit. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  SIS 

Westerham  gathered  himself  together  and  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  time  had  now  come  when 
he  at  any  rate  should  no  longer  continue  to  make 
mysteries. 

"  Lady  Kathleen,"  he  said,  "  I  owe  you  a  deep 
apology  for  following  you  here.  I  learnt  of  your 
visit  to  Rouen  quite  by  accident  from  my  friend, 
Lord  Dunton." 

"  Your  friend,  Lord  Dunton ! "  exclaimed  Kath- 
leen with  wide-open  eyes.  "  Your  friend,  Lord 
Dunton!    What  do  you  mean?" 

"  I  mean,"  said  Westerham,  simply,  "  that  Lord 
Dunton  is  my  friend.  You  know  me  as  James 
Robinson,  a  man  who,  in  order  to  secure  acquaint- 
ance with  yourself,  had  to  indulge  in  the  very 
questionable  privilege  of  a  friendship  with  Melun. 

"  It  was,  believe  me,  quite  by  accident  I  discov- 
ered that  Melun  in  some  way  held  your  father  in 
his  grasp.  I  was  sorry  for  Lord  Penshurst,  but  in- 
finitely more  sorry  for  you.  I  offered  you  my  help, 
but  you  refused  it.  It  was,  perhaps,  impertinent  on 
my  part,  and  I  cannot  blame  you  for  doubting  the 
genuineness  of  my  offer.  I  was  not  then  in  a  posi- 
tion to  explain  either  my  motives  or  my  identity. 

"  *  James  Robinson '  is  not  my  name.  I  am,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  Sir  Paul  Westerham  who  was 
reported  to  have  disappeared  from  the  Gigantic." 

Lady  Kathleen  was  staring  at  him  in  greater 
astonishment  than  before. 

"  It  was  my  whim — possibly  a  foolish  whim — 
to  vanish  as  I  did.  I  cannot  possibly  regret  it,  be- 
cause I  think  it  has  really  placed  me  in  a  position 
to  help  you  out  of  your  difficulties.  I  want  you 
to  treat  me  with  thai   confidence  which,  I  assure 


2U  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

you,  I  really  deserve.  I  stand  in  no  fear  of  Melun, 
nor,  indeed,  of  any  man.  Melun  is  simply  in  my 
pay.  I  bought  his  services  for  my  own  ends,  and 
I  can  equally  buy  his  services  for  yours." 

He  paused  and  watched  Lady  Kathleen  closely. 
She  appeared  utterly  unstrung,  and  clasped  her 
head  tightly  with  both  hands. 

"I  can  hardly  understand  what  it  all  means," 
she  said  at  last  in  a  dull  voice. 

"It  simply  means  this,"  urged  Westerham, 
quietly,  "  that  I  am  an  honest  man  and  a  gentle- 
man ;  and  if  you  could  only  tell  me  what  it  is  of 
which  you  and  your  father  are  so  much  afraid,  I 
feel  perfectly  certain  that  with  the  hold  I  have 
over  Melun  I  could  free  you  from  your  trouble." 

Kathleen  searched  his  face  with  her  eyes  eagerly 
and  yet  fearfully. 

"  You  must  forgive  me,"  she  said,  "  but  I  have 
no  reason  to  believe  any  man.  I  am  sorry,  but  it 
is  impossible  for  me  to  believe  you  even  now." 

She  paused  and  then  cried  out  again:  "No,  no  I 
it  is  quite  impossible!  Besides,  surely  if  you  have 
been  with  Melun  so  much,  and  seen  so  much,  you 
must  know  what  this  dreadful  thing  is  all  about." 

"  I  give  you  my  word,"  said  Westerham,  "  that 
I  do  not  know." 

Again  Kathleen  answered :  "  I  am  sorry,  but  I 
cannot  believe  you." 

Suddenly  her  face  was  flooded  with  colour. 
"  You  followed  me  here,"  she  cried,  "  and  saw  the 
man  who  spoke  to  me,  and  yet  you  still  tell  me  that 
you  do  not  know!  Do  not  know  that  while  I  can 
save  my  father  I  am  lost! 

"  Don't  you  know,"  she  cried  again  hysterically, 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  215 

"  that  in  the  cathedral  I  received  my  sentence  of 
death?  For  it  means  death  to  me!  I  cannot  face 
dishonour ! " 

Wild  and  uncontrolled  as  the  girl's  words  were, 
there  was  a  convincing  ring  of  truth  in  them,  and 
Westerham  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  knew  what 
fear  meant. 

*'  But  who,"  he  asked  with  dry  lips,  "  who  in  this 
world  could  possibly  have  the  power  to  order  you 
such  a  fate?" 

*'  You  know !  "  cried  Kathleen,  fiercely,  her  eyes 
starting  from  their  sockets  in  terror,  "  you  must 
know  that  it  is  by  order  of  the  Czar!" 


CHAPTER    XVI 

STRANGE  HAPPENINGS 

"By  order  of  the  Czar!" 

Westerham  repeated  the  words,  and  his  face  was 
blank  in  its  amazement.  Lady  Kathleen  caught  his 
expression  and  her  own  face  changed.  She  saw 
that  Westerham's  surprise  was  entirely  genuine. 
She  saw  that  he  did  not  know! 

"By  order  of  the  Czar!" 

Westerham  repeated  the  words  again,  groping 
for  some  explanation  of  this  extraordinary  state- 
ment. He  could  find  none.  This,  indeed,  was  the 
greatest  mystery  of  all. 

When  he  had  slightly  collected  himself  he  drew 
a  chair  to  the  table  and  sat  down  heavily,  facing 
Lady  Kathleen. 

"  Don't  you  think,"  he  asked,  "  that  we  had  better 
be  plain  with  each  other?  " 

Lady  Kathleen's  face  was  now  a  blank,  as  his 
own  had  been  two  minutes  ago. 

Almost  roughly  she  brushed  away  the  tears  from 
her  cheeks  with  the  back  of  her  hand,  and  set  her 
mouth  and  squared  her  shoulders  as  though  about 
to  do  battle. 

"  I  cannot  understand  it,"  she  said.  "  I  cannot 
understand  it  at  all.  I  had  to  distrust  you,  and  so, 
though  you  declared  you  knew  nothing,  I  did  not 
believe  you,    JBpt  even  if  you  know  nothing  it  does 

919 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  Sl7 

not  help  us  in  the  least.  I  am  not  able  to  disclose 
anything  at  all.    It's  my  father's  secret — not  mine." 

Gently  and  persuasively  Westerham  urged  her 
to  tell  him  how  the  matter  affected  herself.  But 
she  declined,  and  remained  obdurate  to  the  close  of 
the  interview. 

Before  he  ceased  his  pleading,  however,  Wester- 
ham counselled  her  to  tell  her  father  all  that  had 
passed,  and  begged  her  to  urge  Lord  Penshurst  to 
send  for  him  the  moment  she  arrived  back  in  Lon- 
don. 

This  Kathleen  consented  to  do,  although  she 
pointed  out  that  her  father  would  in  all  probability 
decline  to  believe  in  Westerham's  bona  iides. 

He  countered  that  argument  by  asserting  that 
Lord  Dunton  would  of  a  certainty  establish  his 
identity  beyond  all  doubt.  But  still  Lady  Kathleen 
demurred. 

"  In  any  case,"  she  said,  "  it  would  be  exceed- 
ingly difficult  to  arrange  a  meeting.  Frankly,  I 
don't  see  how  you  can  help  us,  and  there  is  only  a 
week  left." 

As  she  said  this  her  eyes  again  filled  with  tears, 
and  she  clasped  her  hands  with  a  despairing  ges- 
ture. 

"  That  there  is  only  a  week  left,"  persisted  Wes- 
terham, "  is  all  the  more  reason  why  I  should  be 
made  acquainted  with  the  facts  at  once." 

Kathleen,  however,  only  shook  her  head  and 
moaned  a  little  to  herself. 

Westerham  did  his  best  to  console  her,  and  she 
then  told  him  that  she  proposed  to  return  to  Lon- 
don by  the  afternoon's  mail.  Immediately  on  ar- 
riving in  town,  however,  she  would  have  to  set  out 


ai8  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

for  Trant  Hall,  as  the  Premier  was  giving  a  dance 
there  on  the  following  night. 

"I  trust,"  said  Westerham,  "that  you  will  at 
least  permit  me  to  see  you  safely  home.  It  is  not 
at  all  advisable  that  you  should  travel  without  an 
escort.  I  have  every  reason  to  be  fearful  on  your 
account." 

Kathleen  thanked  him,  but  declined  his  offer  of 
help. 

"  There  is  nothing,"  she  said,  "  to  prevent  your 
travelling  in  the  same  train  or  the  same  boat;  and 
if  you  think  it  advisable,  I  shall  be  grateful  to  you 
for  doing  so.  But  I  must  implore  you  not  to  speak 
to  me  or  to  make  any  sign  that  you  know  me  be- 
tween here  and  London. 

"  Matters  have  grown  doubly  bad  since  this 
morning.  I  have  not  only  to  fear  the  spies  of 
Melun,  but  the  agents  of  the  Russian  Government. 
Between  the  two  I  am  afraid  I  shall  have  but  little 
peace." 

Having  said  this,  she  rose  and  held  out  her  hand 
to  bid  Westerham  good-bye. 

"  I  can  no  longer  refuse  to  believe  in  you,"  she 
said,  "  though  I  fear  I  shall  have  a  harder  task  to 
convince  my  father  than  you  had  to  convince  me. 
Good-bye,  and  thank  you.  I  really  feel  that  you 
would  be  a  powerful  ally,  and  if  I  can  possibly  per- 
suade him  to  take  you  into  his  confidence  I  will." 

"  That,  of  course,  would  be  the  better  way,"  said 
Westerham.  "  I  assure  you  that  I  must  have  a 
great  deal  of  knowledge  of  Melun  which  would  be 
invaluable  to  your  father.  Still,  if  he  declines  to 
tell  me  anything,  remember  that  I  am  quite  pre- 
pared to  serve  him  blindly  and  in  all  good  faith.    I 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  219 

shall  be  quite  content  to  wait  for  an  explana- 
tion." 

On  this  he  took  his  departure,  and  presently- 
made  his  way  to  the  station,  where  he  waited  for 
the  afternoon  mail.  Long  before  the  train  was  due 
he  saw  Kathleen  enter  the  railway  station  carrying 
a  black  bag.  He  gave  no  sign,  and  she,  for  her 
part,  steadily  ignored  his  presence. 

At  Dieppe  he  watched  her  go  on  board  the  mail- 
boat,  and  then  followed  her  to  the  saloon  deck. 
There  he  kept  her  under  surveillance,  but  made  no 
attempt  to  communicate  with  her  in  any  way. 

Thus  quietly  watchful,  he  guarded  her  progress 
to  London,  where,  at  Victoria,  he  saw  her  enter  a 
hansom  and  drive  rapidly  away.  His  thoughts  had 
been  so  busy  with  the  things  of  the  immediate  pres- 
ent that  until  he  found  himself  alone  at  the  Lon- 
don terminus  he  took  no  thought  of  what  he  should 
next  do. 

He  then  decided  that  he  would  go  to  his  greatly- 
neglected  rooms  in  Bruton  Street  in  order  to  ob- 
tain some  additions  to  his  all-too-scanty  wardrobe, 
for,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  things  he  had  pur- 
chased when  he  left  Walter's  Hotel,  he  practically 
had  nothing  but  the  clothes  he  stood  up  in;  and 
these  were  the  clothes  with  which  he  had  been  so 
mysteriously  furnished  while  he  lay  chloroformed 
at  Mme.  Estelle's. 

On  arriving  at  Bruton  Street  the  doorkeeper  sur- 
veyed him  with  astonishment. 

"  Why,  sir !  I  was  told  that  you  had  gone 
abroad." 

"  Gone  abroad !  "  exclaimed  Westerham.  "  Gone 
abroad!     Nothing  of  the  kind." 


S20  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

He  denied  the  suggestion  flatly,  and,  indeed,  was 
so  taken  aback  by  the  man's  manner  that  for  the 
moment  he  quite  forgot  he  had  in  reahty  not  only 
been  abroad  but  had  returned  again  from  abroad 
in  the  space  of  twenty-four  hours. 

The  man  stared  at  him  steadily,  and  for  all  his 
self-possession,  Westerham  felt  himself  colour  a 
little.  But  he  reflected  that  it  was  no  business  of 
the  man's  whether  he  went  abroad  or  not.  He  re- 
quested him  to  take  him  up  to  his  rooms  in  the 
lift. 

The  man  stared  at  him  in  greater  astonishment 
than  ever. 

"  But  they  are  empty,  sir,"  he  said. 

"  Empty !  "  cried  Westerham.  "  What  on  earth 
do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  mean,  sir,"  said  the  man,  in  an  excited  voice, 
"that  your  furniture  has  been  taken  away.  I  un- 
derstood that  it.  was  warehoused.  A  gentleman 
called  here  this  afternoon,  paid  your  valet  and  dis- 
missed him,  and  this  afternoon  a  pantechnicon  came 
and  took  away  your  things.  The  gentleman  gave 
his  card  to  the  manager  of  the  flat  and  told  him 
that  he  was  a  solicitor.  It  all  seemed  fair  and 
square,  and  as  we  knew — begging  your  pardon,  sir 
— that  you  were  an  eccentric  gentleman,  we  were 
not  surprised  to  hear  that  you  were  not  coming 
back.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  sir,"  the  man  concluded 
lamely,  "  we  thought  that  you  had  been  a  little  put 
out  by  the  affair  here  a  few  days  ago." 

"Do  you  really  mean  to  tell  me,"  said  Wester- 
ham, slowly,  as  though  he  could  not  believe  his 
ears,  "that  everything  has  been  taken  away,  even 
my  clothes  ?  " 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  221 

"  Even  your  clothes,  sir.  Your  valet  packed 
them  himself." 

"  Good  gracious ! "  said  Westerham,  more  to 
himself  than  to  the  man,  "  and  I  have  nothing  but 
what  I  stand  up  in?  " 

Then  it  struck  him  that  he  must  take  immediate 
action  in  the  matter.  He  suspected  Melun  was  at 
the  bottom  of  this  too,  but  could  not  conceive  what 
motive  the  captain  could  possibly  have  for  this  last 
extraordinary   move. 

"  Have  you  any  idea,"  he  asked,  "  where  my 
valet  went  ?  " 

The  man  shook  his  head, 

"Nor  where  my  things  have  been  stored?" 

Again  the  man  shook  his  head. 

"  It  was  a  big  pantechnicon,  sir,"  he  said,  "  but 
to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  there  was  no  name  on 
it.  I  believe  it  did  strike  me  as  being  rather  funny 
at  the  time,  but  I  was  busy  and  didn't  take  much 
account  of  it.  It  is  a  most  unaccountable  thing,  sir 
— most  unaccountable.  I  cannot  understand  it  at 
all.  Have  you  any  idea,  sir,  who  your  friend 
might  be?" 

Westerham  shook  his  head,  though  in  his  own 
mind  he  had  little  doubt. 

"Well,"  he  said  briskly,  "I  must  inform  the 
police  at  once.  This  is  a  very  serious  matter.  It 
is  not  so  much  the  loss  of  the  things  that  annoys 
me,  but  the  i.nconvenience  to  which  I  am  put." 

He  looked  at  the  man  sharply,  and  endeavoured 
to  ascertain  whether  he  could  trust  him.  He  decided 
that  the  ijian  looked  honest,  and  slipped  a  half- 
sovereign  into  his  hand. 

''  In  the  meantime,"  be  md  t9  him,  "  gay  notb- 


n2  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

ing  to  anyone.  I  will  deal  with  this  matter  in  my 
own  way." 

Deciding  to  take  the  bull  by  the  horns  at  once, 
Westerham  hailed  a  passing  hansom  and  drove  to 
Melun's  rooms,  only,  however,  to  be  informed  that 
the  captain  was  out  of  town.  He  tried  threats, 
cajolery  and  even  bribery  to  extort  information 
as  to  the  captain's  whereabouts;  but  the  house- 
keeper was  proof  against  all  his  efforts. 

It  seemed  as  if  she  really  did  not  know  where 
the  captain  was. 

As  he  turned  away,  wondering  in  which  direc- 
tion he  could  next  inquire,  it  suddenly  occurred  to 
him  that  he  should  ascertain  if  anything  had  hap- 
pened to  his  motor  car.  He  therefore  took  a  sec- 
ond cab  and  drove  to  Rupert  Street,  in  which  the 
garage  was  situated. 

As  he  entered  the  yard  the  manager  stepped  for- 
ward; and  the  astonishment  on  his  face  was  even 
greater  than  that  exhibited  by  the  doorkeeper  at 
Westerham's  flat. 

"  I  am  afraid,  sir,"  he  said  before  Westerham 
had  time  to  speak,  *'  that  we  have  made  some  ter- 
rible blunder.  A  gentleman  called  here  this  after- 
noon and  said  that  he  had  been  asked  to  see  me  on 
your  behalf.  He  said  that  he  had  received  a  tele- 
gram from  Holyhead  asking  him  to  see  that  your 
car  was  sent  up  to  Chester,  as  you  would  be  stay- 
ing there  for  some  days.  Your  man  was  to  wait 
for  you  at  the  Blossoms  Hotel." 

Westerham  could  scarcely  disguise  his  anger. 

"What  was  this — gentleman  Hke?"  he  de- 
manded. 

"  Well,  sir/'  said  the  manager  of  the  garage,  eye- 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  223 

ing  him  anxiously,  "I  didn't  take  much  account  of 
him,  though  he  appeared  a  very  pleasant  gentle- 
man indeed.    He  was,  I  should  say,  tall  and  dark." 

"  Hook  nose  and  black  eyes  ?  "  suggested  Wes- 
terham,   helpfully. 

"  Just  so,  sir,  just  so." 

Westerham  ground  his  teeth  with  rage.  "Of 
course,"  he  said  to  the  man,  "  I  do  not  blame  you 
— I  cannot — but  you've  been  hoaxed.  I  sent  no 
orders  about  my  car.  I  intended  it  to  remain  here 
until  I  sent  for  it.  I  may  want  it  at  any  moment 
now,  and  the  inconvenience  and  the  loss  of  it  may  be 
great.  You'd  better  wire  to  Chester  for  the  man 
to  return  at  once." 

The  manager  of  the  garage  was  by  this  time 
greatly  alarmed.  His  own  suspicions  led  in  the 
direction  of  theft,  and  the  prospect  of  a  consider- 
able loss  in  reputation,  if  not  a  considerable  loss  in 
pocket,  scared  him  very  much. 

"  Certainly,  sir,  certainly.  And  if  in  the  mean- 
time I  can  place  any  other  car  at  your  service  I 
shall  be  pleased  to  do  so." 

"  I'll  let  you  know,"  said  Westerham,  and  he 
walked  abruptly  away. 

He  went  rapidly  westward  and  reached  the  park. 
There  he  sat  down  in  the  darkness  and  made  a  fur- 
ther effort  to  understand  the  drastic  and  impudent 
measures  which  Melun  was  taking. 

If  he  could  have  come  across  that  person  at  that 
particular  moment  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  he 
would  have  shaken  the  life  out  of  him.  Wester- 
ham's  anger  was  seldom  roused,  but  when  it  mas- 
tered him  it  was  terrible,  and  the  effects  were  apt 
to  be  disastrous  to  the  object  of  his  wrath. 


^M  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Now,  turn  things  over  in  his  mind  as  he  might 
he  could  see  Httle  chance  of  coming  to  any  con- 
clusion until  he  could  obtain  the  truth  from  Melun 
himself.  But  where  was  Melun?  It  would  be 
ridiculous  to  make  any  further  inquiries  at  his 
house.  Crow,  too,  would  certainly  know  little,  and 
Bagley  less. 

True,  there  was  Mme.  Estelle.  He  would  see 
her. 

Leaping  to  his  feet,  he  almost  ran  to  the  cab- 
rank  at  Hyde  Park  corner,  and,  hiring  a  taxicab, 
ordered  the  man  to  make  the  best  speed  possible  to 
Laburnum  Road. 

The  man  did  his  best,  and  in  some  twenty  min- 
utes' time  the  taxicab  entered  the  little  cid-de-sac, 
the  features  of  which  Westerham  was  now  begin- 
ning to  know  too  well. 

He  rang  the  bell  impatiently,  but  the  door  in  the 
wall  failed  to  open.  He  rang  again  and  again,  but 
there  was  no  response. 

The  driver  of  the  taxicab  surveyed  his  fare  with 
some  distrust. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  sir,"  he  said,  "  that  your  friends 
are  not  at  home." 

Westerham's  answer  sounded  very  much  like  an 
oath. 

He  gave  one  final  pull  to  the  bell,  and  finding 
even  that  last  rough  summons  ineffectual,  turned 
to  the  man. 

"  Look  here,"  he  said,  "  this  may  seem  a  rather 
curious  business  to  you,  but  if  you  will  help  me  I 
will  pay  you  well.  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  this 
house  is  as  empty  as  it  seems.    Put  your  cab  along- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  225 

side  the  wall  so  that  I  can  climb  over  the  top.  I 
want  to  go  investigating." 

The  man  grumbled  something  to  the  effect  that 
it  was  not  his  business,  but  the  sight  of  the  magnif- 
icent inducement  which  Westerham  immediately 
offered  him  silenced  his  objections. 

Westerham  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  cab  and 
dropped  over  the  wall  into  the  garden.  He  walked 
round  the  house  and  found  it  shuttered,  dark  and 
silent. 

He  whistled  a  long  whistle  to  himself.  *'  I  won- 
der," he  thought,  "  if  the  birds  have  flown.  I  won- 
der if  they  have  chucked  up  the  sponge.  I 
wonder " 

Al  second  thought,  however,  which  occurred  to 
him,  as  he  proceeded  to  climb  over  the  garden  wall 
again,  was  that  it  was  much  more  likely  that  the 
house  had  been  closed  that  evening  in  order  that  he 
might  be  cut  off  from  all  sources  of  information. 

On  further  reflection,  indeed,  he  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  this  was  certainly  the  case.  "  But 
perhaps  you  imagine,"  he  thought,  mentally  ad- 
dressing Melun,  "  perhaps  you  imagine  that  I  shall 
not  come  back.    We  will  see." 

It  was  then  nearly  eleven  o'clock,  and  Wester- 
ham had  no  course  but  to  return  to  the  Bucking- 
ham Palace  Hotel,  out  of  which  he  had  rushed 
without  bag  or  baggage  on  the  night  before. 

There  he  was  greeted  civilly,  but  by  no  means 
with  effusion.  Lord  Dunton's  visit  on  the  previous 
afternoon  had  set  a  certain  cachet  on  his  respecta- 
bility, but  at  the  same  time  his  erratic  movements 
did  not  meet  with  the  managerial  approval. 


226  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

On  the  following  morning  he  sought  out  Dunton, 
who  told  him  that  for  the  moment  Lord  Cuckfield 
and  Mendip  would  be  silent. 

Unfortunately,  Westerham's  promise  to  Lady- 
Kathleen  prevented  his  telling  Dunton  over  much. 
But  fortunately  Dunton,  in  spite  of  his  apparent 
vacuity,  had  both  the  good  sense  and  the  good 
manners  never  to  be  over  curious. 

Twice  during  the  afternoon  Westerham  took  a 
cab  to  Laburnum  Road,  and  on  the  second  occasion 
his  peal  at  the  bell  was  answered  by  the  maid  he 
had  seen  on  his  previous  visit. 

In  reply  to  his  queries  the  girl  stated  that  Mme. 
Estelle,  having  occasion  to  go  out  of  town  the  day 
before,  had  closed  up  the  house  because  she  did 
not  like  to  leave  the  maids  by  themselves.  Madame 
however,  she  told  him,  was  expected  back  in  the 
course  of  the  evening;  she  thought  about  nine 
o'clock. 

The  sense  of  coming  action  prompted  Wester- 
ham to  dine  well.  Unlike  other  men,  his  senses 
and  capacities  were  always  at  their  best  after 
dinner. 

At  nine  o'clock  he  went  back  to  Laburnum  Road 
and  was  told  that  Madame  was  at  home.  As  he 
entered  the  pretty  drawing-room  Mme.  Estelle 
came  forward  to  greet  him  with  outstretched  hand. 
But  he  kept  his  own  behind  him. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  said  coldly,  "  but  before  I  meet 
you  on  terms  of  friendship  there  are  certain  things 
which  I  want  to  know." 

Madame  raised  her  eyebrows  at  him  and  smiled. 

"Indeed,"  she  said,  "what  are  they?" 

"  In  the  first  place,  who  stole  my  furniture  and 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  227 

my  belongings  from  my  flat?"  demanded  Wester- 
ham. 

"Why  should  you  ask  me?"  answered  Madame, 
evasively. 

"  Because,"  said  Westerham,  "  I  have  not  the 
slightest  doubt  in  the  world  that  Melun  was  the 
man  who  ordered  their  removal,  and  if  Melun  is 
responsible  then  you  are  probably  acquainted  with 
the  fact." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Madame,  quietly,  "  and  I  ex- 
pect that  it  will  do  no  harm  for  me  to  confirm  your 
suspicions.  Melun  did  order  your  things  to  be  re- 
moved." 

"But  why?" 

Madame  smiled  again.  "  It  was  at  my  sugges- 
tion. It  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  the  reason; 
but  I  must  ask  you  to  believe  that  such  a  step  was 
necessary  for  the  greater  security  of  your  life." 

Westerham  stared  at  her;  the  matter  was  en- 
tirely beyond  his  comprehension. 

"And  the  car,"  he  demanded,  "what  of  that? 
Was  it  you  also  who  suggested  it  should  be  sent 
on  a  bogus  mission  to  Holyhead?" 

"  It  was.  That  step  was  also  necessary  in  the 
interests  of  your  safety." 

Utterly  regardless  of  Madame's  presence,  Wes- 
terham paced  angrily  up  and  down  the  room  for 
some  minutes  before  he  spoke  again.  Finally  he 
turned  upon  the  woman  and  asked  almost  roughly 
where  Melun  was  to  be  found. 

Madame  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  Do  you  decline  to  tell  me?"  asked  Westerham. 

Madame  shrugged  her  shoulders  again. 

By  this  time  Westerham  had  made  up  his  mind 


228  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

as  to  how  he  should  deal  with  this  woman.  There 
had  been  ample  time  since  he  had  left  Lady  Kath- 
leen to  reason  out  what  she  meant  by  the  words 
that,  as  she  preferred  death  to  dishonour,  her  death- 
warrant  had  been  sealed.  For  some  strange  reason, 
still  to  be  unearthed,  the  Czar's  emissary  had  or- 
dered that  Kathleen  must  marry  Melun  and  thereby 
ensure  silence. 

How  did  Mme.  Estelle  stand  in  this  matter? 
Westerham  determined  to  ascertain  for  himself 
at  once. 

"  Listen,"  he  said  almost  gently.  "  Let  us  for 
a  few  moments  try  to  talk  as  friends.  It  is  im- 
perative that  I  should  see  Melun  at  once.  You  are 
the  only  person  who  can  tell  me  where  I  can  find 
him.  And  if  you  will  come  to  a  bargain  with  me 
it  may  be  to  our  mutual  advantage. 

"  If  I  tell  you  something  which  I  think  it  is  to 
your  interest  to  know,  and  if  you  think  the  knowl- 
edge, when  I  have  given  it  you,  is  worth  it,  will 
you  in  return  tell  me  where  Melun  is  ?  " 

"  I  will  see,"  answered  Mme.  Estelle. 

"  Are  you  acquainted  with  the  fact,"  he  asked 
suddenly,  "that  in  a  week's  time  Melun  will  have 
arranged  to  marry  the  Lady  Kathleen?" 

Madame  went  pale  to  the  lips, 

"It's  a  lie!  "  she  almost  screamed.  "  It's  a  lie! 
It's  impossible !    He  has  promised  himself  to  me !  " 

Westerham  nodded  thoughtfully.  It  was  pre- 
cisely as  he  had  thought. 

"  What  I  tell  you,"  he  said,  "  I  believe  to  be  ab- 
solutely true." 

Watching  her  closely,  Westerham  saw  that  Mme, 
Estelle  was  greatly  agitated. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  nO 

"To-night,"  she  murmured,  more  to  herself 
than  to  him,  "  to-night  it  could  be  proved,  if  only 
I  had  a  witness  here  whom  I  could  trust." 

"  Surely,"  suggested  Westerham,  "  though  we 
are  on  opposite  sides  in  this  struggle,  you  can  take 
my  word  on  a  matter  of  this  sort." 

"  Yes,  yes ! "  cried  Mme.  Estelle,  eagerly,  "  you 
are  a  gentleman.  I  can  trust  you.  Oh,  how  I  wish 
I  could  trust  Melun !  " 

Her  voice  trailed  away  and  she  lapsed  into 
thought. 

Presently  she  roused  herself  as  though  with  an 
effort  and  looked  Westerham  in  the  face. 

"  I  will  tell  you  how  you  can  meet  Melun  if  you 
will  give  me  your  word  of  honour  on  two  points. 
First,  that  you  will  return  and  tell  me  all  that 
passes,  and,  secondly,  that  you  will  not,  whatever 
happens,  do  any  harm  to  Melun." 

"  You  have  my  word,"  said  Westerham. 

Mme.  Estelle  sighed  as  though  with  relief,  and 
after  a  few  seconds  spoke  again. 

"  What  I  am  going  to  tell  you  now,"  she  said, 
"  will  sound  so  incredible  that  you  may  possibly 
not  believe  me.  I  can  scarcely  believe  it  myself, 
except  that  there  is  practically  no  piece  of  folly 
which  Melun  will  not  commit  when  he  has  one  of 
his  mad  fits  upon  him.  I  sometimes  think  he  is 
half -crazy. 

"  To-night  Lord  Penshurst  gives  a  ball  at  Trant 
Hall.  The  place  will  be  crowded,  and  the  women 
will  be  wearing  jewels  worth  a  king's  ransom. 

"  More,  I  think,  out  of  bravado,  and  with  a  fool- 
ish notion  of  bringing  matters  to  a  head,  Melun  is 
taking  down  half  a  score  of  masked  men.     It  will 


^50  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

be  what  I  think  you  call  in  America  *a  hold- 
up.' 

"Melun  says  that  there  is  no  risk  in  the  busi- 
ness, that  he  and  the  others  are  bound  to  get  away, 
and  even  if  he  is  caught  he  knows  the  Prime  Min- 
ister will  have  to  contrive  his  release.  The  hour 
planned  for  this  business  is  midnight." 

Without  a  second's  hesitation  Westerham  leapt 
up  from  his  chair  and  took  out  his  watch. 

"  I  have  just  an  hour  and  a  half  to  get  there," 
he  said. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

MELODRAMA  AT  TRANT  HALL 

When  Lady  Kathleen  bade  good-bye  to  Wester- 
ham  she  drove  first  to  Downing  Street,  where  she 
met  her  father. 

Together  they  travelled  down  to  Trant  Hall,  and 
on  the  way  Kathleen  gave  Lord  Penshurst  a  full 
account  of  all  that  had  passed  since  she  had  been 
summoned  so  suddenly  to  Rouen. 

The  Premier  sat  with  bowed  head,  holding  his 
daughter's  hand  as  he  listened  to  her  narrative.  For 
the  moment  it  seemed  to  crush  him  utterly,  and 
when  Kathleen  had  finished  speaking  he  lifted  up 
his  head  and  said,  in  a  stricken  way : 

"So  this  is  the  end  of  it?"  He  added,  after  a 
few  moments:  "Are  you  sure  that  a  week  is  the 
full  limit  of  time  we  can  obtain?" 

"  I   am  only  too   certain,"   answered   Kathleen. 

"  If  we  fail  within  the  next  week,  then "  she 

broke  off  and  looked  apprehensively  about  her  as 
though  even  the  cushions  of  the  carriage  might 
have  ears.  Finally  she  bent  her  head  and  whispered 
into  her  father's  ear. 

At  this  Lord  Penshurst  grew  paler  than  before, 
while  great  drops  of  sweat  broke  out  on  his  fore- 
head. 

"  That,"  he  cried,  "  must  never  be !  Kathleen, 
great  though  the  sacrifice  is,  you  must  make  it — 
make  it  for  our  country's  sake.    Oh !  to  think  that  I 

SSI 


^32  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

should  have  wished  to  serve  her  so  well  and  should 
have  served  her  so  evilly." 

For  a  long  time  after  this  Lord  Penshurst  and 
his  daughter  sat  in  silence  as  the  train  ran  on 
through  the  night.  It  was  not,  indeed,  until  they 
had  reached  Trant  Hall  and  had  a  little  supper,  for 
it  was  now  very  late,  that  Kathleen  ventured  again 
to  broach  the  subject  of  Westerham. 

She  was  almost  ghastly  in  her  paleness,  but  was 
entirely  calm  and  self-possessed. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  patting  the  old  man's  hand 
as  he  sat  staring  before  him  as  though  fascinated 
by  some  mental  vision  of  pain  and  horror,  "  let  us 
try  and  see  what  we  can  do  in  this  matter  on  a 
business-like  basis." 

The  aged  Premier  nodded  his  head,  but  he  still 
gazed  steadily  before  him. 

"Don't  you  think,"  urged  Kathleen,  "that  you 
owe  it  to  me  to  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  defeat 
Alelun  before  the  week  is  out?  Melun  we  cannot 
catch.  You  tried  to  do  so,  and  Claude  has  tried  to 
do  so  during  the  last  few  days,  but  the  man  is  as 
elusive  as  an  eel.  Why  not  take  this  man  Wester- 
ham to  a  certain  extent  on  trust?  Of  course,  you 
will  laugh  at  me,  and  say  that  I  am  merely  guided 
by  a  feminine  habit  of  jumping  to  conclusions. 
Nevertheless,  I  am  perfectly  convinced  that  Mr. 
James  Robinson  is  Sir  Paul  Westerham,  and  that 
if  we  were  only  to  take  him  into  our  confidence  he 
could  do  much  to  help  us." 

"  My  child,"  said  the  old  man,  looking  at  his 
daughter  in  a  piteous  way,  "  it  is,  as  you  know, 
simply  impossible.  We  have  neither  of  us  been 
released  from  our  path  of  silence^  and  it  would  be 


THE    CRIME    CLUB 

most  disgraceful  of  us  to  break  our  word.  Indeed, 
it  would  be  absolutely  indefensible,  unless  by  break- 
ing it  we  were  absolutely  certain  we  could  save  the 
situation." 

"  Why  not  ask  Sir  Paul  Westerham  to  help  us 
without  telling  him  anything?"  suggested  Kathleen. 

"  Do  you  think  any  man  would  be  such  a  fool  as 
to  serve  us  on  those  terms  ?  "  asked  the  Premier. 

"  But  he  has  promised  to  do  so,"  cried  Kathleen. 

Lord  Penshurst,  however,  remained  obstinate. 

"  No !  no !  my  dear !  "  he  said.  "  It's  quite  out 
of  the  question.  It  would  arouse  considerable  com- 
ment if  we  were  to  postpone  this  dance  to-morrow 
■ — there  is  no  legitimate  excuse  for  doing  so.  Let 
us  get  it  over  and  then  we  will  together  see  what 
can  be  done. 

"  We  cannot  even  take  Claude  Into  our  confi- 
dence, but  I  can  at  least  give  him  cwte  blanche  to 
take  any  steps  that  he  deems  necessary.  And 
Claude  is  not  a  fellow,  thank  goodness,  to  stick  at 
much  if  we  have  anything  at  stake." 

He  rose  from  his  chair,  and  coming  over  to  his 
daughter's  side  stroked  her  hair  gently. 

He  did  not  tell  Lady  Kathleen  so,  but  on  one 
point  the  old  man  had  made  up  his  mind.  Out- 
wardly he  was  encouraging  Lady  Kathleen  to  brace 
herself  for  the  sacrifice  which  appeared  inevitable, 
but  he  had  in  reality  resolved  upon  another  course, 
even  though  it  meant  for  him  suicide  or  the  gal- 
lows. 

All  through  the  following  day  Kathleen  moved 
through  the  great  house  silently  superintending  the 
arrangements  for  the  ball. 

During  the  afternoon  the  majority  of  the  house- 


S34.  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

party  arrived,  and  at  dinner-time  both  Lord  Pens- 
hurst  and  Lady  Kathleen  had  to  throw  off  their 
gloom  as  best  they  could  and  devote  all  their  minds 
and  energies  to  the  entertainment  of  their  guests. 

Two  or  three  great  singers  had  come  down  from 
London,  and  there  was  music  in  the  grand  saloon. 
It  was  then  that  young  Hilden  sought  out  Lady 
Kathleen  and  drew  her  apart  from  the  guests. 

"  Kathleen,"  he  said  to  his  cousin,  *'  I  want  to 
have  a  very  serious  talk  with  you.  During  the  past 
three  weeks  your  father  has  asked  me  to  do  a  great 
many  extraordinary  things,  and  I  have  not  scrupled 
to  carry  out  any  of  his  instructions,  though  they 
have  involved  a  considerable  amount  of  law-break- 
ing. 

"  I  don't  know  what  all  this  business  is  about. 
I  assure  you  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea,  nor  have 
I  the  least  wish  to  pry  into  my  uncle's  secrets;  but 
at  the  same  time,  I  am  growing  very  uneasy.  This 
mystery,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  weighing  on  him 
greatly.  He  has  completely  changed  in  the  last 
month;  he  is  becoming  an  old  and  almost  broken 
man.  I  do  not  wish  to  alarm  you,  but  I  feel  that  I 
ought  to  open  your  eyes  to  this  in  case  it  may  have 
escaped  you." 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you,"  said  Kathleen,  wearily, 
"  but  I  have  noticed  it  myself,  and  am  very  much 
distressed." 

"  Then  why  not  be  more  explicit?  "  urged  Hilden. 
"Why  not  tell  me  what  this  matter  is  about? 
Surely  I  could  take  some  of  the  burden  off  your 
shoulders.  It  is  a  most  amazing  thing — and  I  think, 
with  all  due  respect  to  your  father — a  very  wrong 
thing  that  a  trouble  of  this  sort — and  I  can  see  it 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  £35 

is  a  great  trouble — should  be  foisted  on  to  the 
shoulders  of  a  mere  girl." 

Kathleen  looked  at  him  sadly  and  wistfully. 

"  I  wish  I  could  tell  you,  Claude,"  she  said,  "  but 
unfortunately  I  am  pledged  to  secrecy.  I  think  it 
is  more  likely  that  my  father  will  speak  to  you 
about  the  matter  to-morrow,  though  I  fear  that  he 
will  tell  you  nothing  more  than  you  know  at 
present. 

"  He  may,  however,  ask  you  to  do  several  more 
strange  things.  You  have  offered  to  help  us,  and 
so  let  me  implore  you  to  help  us  by  doing  every- 
thing that  you  are  asked,  no  matter  what  it  may 
involve." 

"  Kathleen,"  cried  Hilden,  taking  her  hands  and 
looking  into  her  eyes,  "  you  know  very  well  that 
there  is  nothing  that  I  would  not  do  for  your  sake." 

She  thanked  him,  and  drawing  away  her  hands 
left  him,  weighed  down  with  a  terrible  oppression. 
Her  own  thoughts  frightened  her.  She  was  con- 
scious of  a  dreadful  desire  for  a  man's  death.  She 
prayed  to  be  delivered  from  the  sin  of  hoping  that 
she  might  escape  disgrace  at  the  cost  of  a  man's 
life. 

The  ball  began  at  about  half-past  ten,  and  for  an 
hour  before  that  motor-cars  and  carriages  had  been 
rolling  up  the  long  sweep  of  drive,  and  the  recep- 
tion-rooms had  been  filling  with  the  power,  the 
wealth,  and  the  beauty  of  the  country. 

By  her  father's  side  Kathleen  stood  at  the  head 
of  the  grand  staircase  to  receive  the  guests.  And 
one  after  the  other,  with  misdirected  kindness,  they 
murmured  their  regret  to  see  Kathleen  looking  so 
far  from  well.     Her  father  glanced  round  impa- 


236  THE    CRIME     CLtJB 

tiently  at  every  such  expression,  till  from  the  pallor 
born  of  the  despair  which  was  settling  down  upon 
her  heart  Kathleen's  face  assumed  a  vivid  flush, 
due  to  agitation  and  annoyance ;  so  that  from  look- 
ing wan  and  ill  her  beauty  became  feverish  and 
radiant. 

Hilden,  hovering  near,  felt  his  heart  aching. 

By  eleven  o'clock  all  the  guests  had  arrived,  and 
the  grand  staircase  and  reception  saloon  were  alike 
deserted,  while  the  ball-room  was  thronged  with 
dancers  and  those  who  watched  the  dancing. 

Lord  Penshurst  had  long  been  famous  as  a  host, 
and  Lady  Kathleen,  in  spite  of  her  youth,  was  al- 
ready numbered  among  the  great  hostesses  of  the 
country. 

The  scene,  indeed,  was  full  of  splendour,  and,  as 
Melun's  greedy  mind  had  anticipated,  the  jewels 
of  the  women  must  have  been  worth  upwards  of 
half  a  million. 

The  slow,  low  music  of  a  waltz  was  stealing 
down  from  the  gallery,  where  the  musicians  were 
placed,  when  Lord  Penshurst,  who  had  just  entered 
from  the  grand  staircase,  was  conscious  of  some 
disturbance  in  the  hall.  For  a  moment  he  did  not 
inquire  what  the  cause  of  the  upset  might  be;  and 
it  was,  perhaps,  just  as  well  for  him  that  he  did  not. 

Up  the  drive  had  swept  three  great  motor-cars, 
which  had  drawn  up  in  a  curious  formation  before 
the  great  entrance.  Their  concentrated  head  and 
side  lights  faced  the  door,  so  that  the  servants  who 
stood  about  the  hall  were  almost  blinded  by  the 
glare. 

From  the  cars  descended  a  score  of  men  in  even- 
ing dress.     But  as  they  came  into  the  more  sub- 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  237 

dued  light  of  the  hall  the  keen  eyes  of  the  servants 
stationed  there  were  quick  to  see  that,  in  spite  of 
their  shirt-fronts  and  their  opera-hats,  these  men 
were  not  gentlemen. 

The  arrival  of  so  many  men  at  once  took  the 
groom  of  the  chambers  aback,  but  he  hurried  for- 
ward to  meet  the  guests,  thinking  that  possibly  this 
might  be  some  surprise  party. 

His  hospitable  intention,  however,  met  with  a 
rude  check,  for  he  had  scarcely  taken  half  a  dozen 
steps  forward  when  he  found  himself  looking 
down  the  barrel  of  a  revolver. 

A  pleasant,  easy  voice  called  on  him  to  stop,  and 
the  man  stood  stockstill,  staring  stupidly  straight 
in  front  of  him,  half- fear  fully  and  half-fascinated 
by  the  glint  of  the  six-shooter. 

The  other  men  poured  in  quietly  and  quickly  and 
formed  a  semi-circle  about  the  door. 

Three  of  their  number  remained  outside,  cover- 
ing with  their  revolvers  the  two  country  constables 
who  had  been  on  special  duty  for  the  purpose  of 
controlling  the  traffic. 

All  the  men  were  masked,  not  only  their  fore- 
heads, but  their  faces  right  down  to  their  chins 
being  hidden  in  black  crape. 

The  man  who  led  them  stepped  forward  and 
ordered  the  groom  of  the  chambers  back;  and  the 
man  and  his  fellow-servants  retreated  before  the 
advance  of  the  strange  intruders. 

A  couple  of  armed  and  masked  men  sufficed  to 
keep  the  handful  of  men-servants  penned  in  the 
corner.  Two  others  were  stationed  on  the  stairs 
to  check  any  advances  in  that  direction,  while  two 
others  kept  the  passages  closed  against  all  comers. 


238  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

At  the  head  of  about  twelve  men  the  leader 
walked  swiftly  towards  the  door  of  the  ball-room, 
where  he  met  Lord  Penshurst  face  to  face.  For 
the  Prime  Minister,  growing  uneasy  at  the  con- 
tinued movement  in  the  hall,  had  come  out  himself 
to  see  what  might  be  on  foot. 

"  Get  back.  Lord  Penshurst,"  said  the  leader,  still 
in  a  pleasant  and  easy  voice ;  "  get  back  or  I  will 
not  answer  for  your  life." 

The  Prime  Minister  checked  himself,  but  craned 
his  head  forward. 

"  By  heaven !  "  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  believe 
that  is  you,  Melun." 

"Never  mind  who  I  may  be,  but  keep  your 
tongue  still.  Unless  you  wish  to  be  quieted, 
kindly  refrain  from  mentioning  names  in  my  pres- 
ence. 

"  Now  turn  about,  if  you  please,  and  get  back  to 
the  ball-room." 

At  this  sudden  confrontation  by  danger  the 
Prime  Minister's  troubles  were  for  the  moment 
forgotten,  and  he  was  again  the  strong,  courageous 
man  that  he  had  once  been.  He  looked  straight  and 
steadily  at  the  veiled  eyes  of  the  intruder,  and  de- 
clined to  turn  about.  Instead,  he  retreated  back- 
wards step  by  step. 

The  music  in  the  ball-room  had  effectually 
drowned  any  noise  of  the  disturbance  except  to 
those  who  stood  nearer  to  the  door. 

Among  these  was  Hilden.  He  had  followed 
hard  upon  the  Prime  Minister's  footsteps,  and  had, 
at  a  glance,  taken  in  the  position  of  affairs. 

Nor  did  he  hestitate  for  a  moment.  Breaking 
into  a  run,  he  4^shed  acros§  th§  hall  towards  the 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  239 

little  alcove  in  which  he  knew  were  placed  the  tele- 
phone and  the  police  call. 

As  he  approached  the  alcove,  however,  he  was 
brought  to  a  standstill  by  a  man  with  a  revolver. 

Melun  noted  his  progress,  and  turned  about  and 
cried,  "  Keep  that  gentleman  away.  If  he  moves 
another  yard — shoot !  " 

Young  Hilden  threw  one  contemptuous  glance  at 
Melun  and  walked  on.     The  man  hesitated  to  fire. 

"  Fire !  you  fool,"  shouted  Melun,  but  the  man 
still  held  his  hand  and  hestitated  so  long  that  Hil- 
den had  gripped  the  barrel  of  his  revolver  in  his 
left  hand  before  the  fellow  quite  realised  what  was 
happening. 

If  the  man  had  scruples,  Melun  had  none.  His 
revolver  spoke  quickly,  and  Hilden,  with  a  little 
cough,  fell  forward  on  his  face. 

Turning  from  his  butcher's  work,  Melun  whipped 
round  to  meet  the  terror-stricken  eyes  of  Lady 
Kathleen. 

"  Will  you  take  your  daughter  away.  Lord  Pens- 
hurst?"  he  said  in  a  low  voice.  "It  is  not  my 
fault  that  she  has  been  compelled  to  look  on  this." 

The  Prime  Minister  grasped  Kathleen  by  the 
arm  and  drew  her  into  the  ball-room.  Melun  closed 
in  on  him  and  the  other  men  followed. 

As  they  entered  the  room  they  spread  them- 
selves out  fanwise  in  an  obviously  prearranged 
plan. 

Coolly  and  deliberately  Melun  discharged  his 
revolver  at  the  painted  ceiling  overhead,  bringing 
down  a  little  cloud  of  plaster. 

The  orchestra  stopped  in  the  middle  of  a  bar,  the 
dancers  came  to  a  halt,  and  all  those  guests  who 


240  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

had  been  sitting  round  the  ball-room  leapt  with 
cries  to  their  feet. 

"Silence!" 

Melim's  voice  rung  out  clear  and  hard. 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he  cried,  "  I  have  no 
desire  to  create  a  disturbance.  If  you  will  listen 
to  me  all  will  be  well," 

Turning  for  a  second  to  Lord  Penshurst,  he  said, 
"  Get  back  to  the  middle  of  the  ball-room." 

The  Prime  Minister  had  no  other  course  but  to 
obey. 

Melun  next  proceeded  to  deal  with  those  guests 
iwho  were  nearest  to  the  door. 

"  All  of  you,"  he  said  in  a  tone  of  easy  command, 
"  all  of  you  get  back  beyond  the  chandelier." 

He  pointed  to  the  great  cut-glass  candelabra 
which  hung  from  the  ceiling. 

Here  and  there  a  woman  gave  a  little  scream, 
but  for  the  most  part  the  people  who  had  been  so 
rudely  disturbed  were  very  quiet. 

Melun  watched  the  retreat  through  his  mask, 
and  when  all  the  guests  had  crowded  together  at 
the  end  of  the  room  he  gave  them  further  orders. 

"  All  the  men  step  to  the  front !  " 

The  men  looked  angrily  and  defiantly  at  Melun 
and  his  companions,  but  they  had  no  option  in  the 
matter,  for  a  dozen  revolvers  were  pointed  in  their 
direction  with  unwavering  nozzles. 

Sullenly,  angrily,  the  men  came  forward,  and 
formed  a  long  chain  before  the  women,  who  clung 
together  in  terror  or  sat  huddled  on  chairs,  holding 
their  faces  in  their  hands.  There  was  a  pause,  and 
Lord  Penshurst  turned  towards  his  guests. 

"  My  friends,"  he  cried,  "  I  greatly  regret  this 


'  On  the  floor  at  Melun's  fee,t  there  slowly  gretv  a  glittering 
pile  of  jewels" 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  Ml 

outrage.  Any  loss  which  you  may  suffer  at  the 
hands  of  these  thieves  I  will,  of  course,  make  good, 
but  let  me  implore  you  to  do  everything  in  your 
power  to  prevent  any  bloodshed." 

"  Be  silent !  "  thundered  Melun.  "  You  were  not 
asked  to  speak.  Lady  Kathleen,  will  you  be  kind 
enough  to  leave  your  father  and  join  the  other 
ladies?" 

Lady  Kathleen  faced  him  with  flaming  eyes. 
"  No !  "  she  cried.  "  My  place  is  by  my  father's 
side." 

She  took  her  father's  arm  and  stood  the  very  pic- 
ture of  defiance,  looking  scornfully  at  Melun  and 
his  men. 

"  Very  well,"  said  Melun,  quietly ;  "  have  your 
own  way." 

**  Now  we  will  proceed  to  business,"  he  continued, 
"and  I  will  ask  you  ladies  and  gentlemen  to  be 
quick;  my  time  is  short,  and  if  we  are  to  leave  free 
of  interference  there  is  not  much  time  to  spare. 

"  You,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  addressing  the  men, 
"collect  all  the  jewellery  that  the  ladies  hand  you, 
pass  it  on,  and  throw  it  here."  He  pointed  to  the 
floor  at  his  feet. 

The  men  hesitated,  looking  one  to  another;  and 
one  boy,  more  bold  than  the  rest,  jumped  forward 
and  cried,  "  Never !  you  dirty  scoundrel !  "  And 
he  dashed  across  the  floor  towards  Melun. 

Melun  let  him  come  on,  and  it  said  something  for 
the  coolness  of  the  man  that  he  did  not  even  fire, 
but  waited  till  the  lad  was  upon  him.  Then  he 
swung  round,  and  catching  him  on  the  back  of  the 
ear  with  the  butt  of  his  pistol,  sent  him  sprawling 
senseless  to  the  floor. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

After  that  there  was  no  demonstration  of  any- 
kind.  With  almost  feverish  haste  the  women  be- 
gan plucking  the  jewels  from  their  hair  and  from 
their  bosoms,  from  their  wrists  and  from  their 
necks.  Trembling,  they  handed  them  to  the  men 
standing  in  a  row  before  them. 

One  by  one  bracelets  and  necklets  and  tiaras  were 
tossed  on  to  the  floor  at  Melun's  feet  until  there 
slowly  grew  a  glittering  pile  of  jewels. 

And  then  it  became  obvious  that  Melun  had  pro- 
vided against  every  contingency  and  had  counted 
on  complete  success. 

For  at  a  word  from  him  one  of  the  masked  men 
came  forward  with  a  rough  sack,  into  which  he 
threw  the  jewels  with  as  much  care  as  he  might 
have  bestowed  upon  a  heap  of  coals. 

When  the  fellow  had  gathered  them  all  up  Melun 
made  a  little  bow  of  mockery. 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he  said,  *'  I  have  to 
thank  you  for  your  hospitality  and  for  your  gener- 
osity. With  your  kind  permission  I  will  now  with- 
draw." 

Suddenly  a  bold,  clear,  full  voice  spoke  from  the 
little  gallery  in  which  the  musicians  sat  cowering. 

*'  Unfortunately,"  said  the  voice,  "  I  fear  that 
you  have  not  my  permission." 

All  the  guests  started  and  turned  involuntarily 
to  see  whence  came  the  challenge.  Melun  looked 
up  quickly  and  stood  staring  with  amazement. 

For  stepping  down  the  staircase  which  led  from 
the  little  gallery  came  Westerham,  smiling  serenely. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

AT   THE   EMPIRE 

The  better  to  show  his  contempt  for  the  people 
whom  he  was  robbing,  Melun  had  put  away  his 
revolver.  This  little  piece  of  play-acting  cost  him 
dear. 

As  he  saw  Westerham  coming  down  the  stairs 
his  hand  went  to  his  hip-pocket.  But  Westerham 
was  first,  and  covered  him  in  an  instant. 

"  Put  up  your  hands !  "  he  ordered. 

Melun  obediently  threw  up  his  hands. 

The  other  masked  men  now  covered  Westerham, 
but  Melun  cried  out  sharply :  "  Stop  that  I  No 
firing!" 

For  he  knew  who  was  the  best  shot,  and  who  was 
likely  to  be  quickest;  and  he  had  no  desire  to  risk 
his  own  skin. 

"  Tell  the  men  to  lower  their  hands,"  said  Wes- 
terham, *'  and  you  can  put  your  own  hands  down." 

Melun  gave  the  order  in  a  surly  voice. 

"  Thank  you !  "  said  Westerham. 

All  this  had  passed  in  complete  silence  on  the 
part  of  Lord  Penshurst's  guests.  Lord  Penshurst 
also  was  far  too  astonished  to  speak. 

"  You  must  forgive  my  intrusion,"  Westerham 
said,  now  addressing  the  Prime  Minister,  "  but  I 
must  ask  you  to  allow  me  to  have  a  word  with  this 
man."    He  pointed  to  Melun. 

243 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Without  more  ado  he  came  down  the  staircase 
from  the  musicians'  gallery  and  walked  over  to 
Melun's  side. 

"  You  are  an  impudent  scoundrel,  Captain 
Melun,"  he  whispered  in  the  captain's  ear,  "  but  I 
will  put  a  stop  to  this.  You  will  have  to  call  your 
men  off  and  restore  all  that  property." 

"  I  shall  do  nothing  of  the  kind !  "  snarled  Melun. 

"  You  won't,  eh  ?  "  said  Westerham.  "  Well,  we 
will  see. 

"  You  know,"  he  added,  still  whispering,  "  that 
Lord  Penshurst  is  perfectly  acquainted  with  your 
identity.  The  guests  are  in  ignorance,  and  therein 
lies  your  safety.  But  how  many  would  recognise 
you  if  they  could  see  your  face?" 

Melun  shot  a  vindictive  look  through  his  mask 
at  Westerham. 

"  And  so,"  continued  Westerham,  quietly,  "  I 
will  give  you  five  seconds  to  make  up  your  mind. 
You  either  order  all  these  jewels  to  be  restored  to 
their  proper  owners  or  I  will  tear  the  mask  from 
your  face." 

"  For  Heaven's  sake  don't  do  that,"  cried  Melun 
in  a  low  voice.  "  But  it  will  cost  you  your  life,  for 
I  shall  not  be  able  to  hold  the  men." 

"  I  shall  not  bother  you  to  do  so,"  said  Wester- 
ham; "I  can  manage  them  quite  well  myself." 

Still  keeping  Captain  Melun  under  observation, 
he  turned  about,  while  his  revolver  covered  the 
man  who  had  collected  the  jewels.  "  Come  here!  " 
he  ordered. 

The  man  came  forward. 

"  Give  me  your  gun ! " 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  345 

The  man  handed  over  his  six-shooter  without  a 
word,  and  Westerham  placed  it  carefully  on  the 
floor. 

"  Now  right-about ! "  he  ordered,  "  and  get  the 
other  men's  weapons." 

The  ruffian  in  the  mask  hesitated.  "  They  will 
shoot  me  and  you,  governor,"  he  said  thickly. 

"  You  had  better  be  shot  at  by  them  than  by  me," 
said  Westerham.  "My  aim  rarely  fails.  Do  as 
you're  told." 

Westerham  then  turned  to  the  other  men.  "  All 
of  you,"  he  said,  "  will  have  to  give  up  your  guns. 
If  necessary,  Captain  Melun  and  I  will  see  that  you 
do  it.  However,  I  should  recommend  you  to  be 
quick.  I  warned  Scotland  Yard  before  I  left  Lon- 
don of  what  was  about  to  happen  here,  and  within 
a  few  minutes  this  place  will  be  swarming  with 
police." 

The  men  fidgeted  uneasily  and  looked  helplessly 
at  Melun. 

Melun  wisely  decided  to  assist  Westerham. 

**  It's  true,"  he  said,  "  and  you'd  better  be  quick." 

At  this  there  was  a  good  deal  of  grumbling,  and 
one  of  the  men  cried  out  that  they  had  been  be- 
trayed. 

Westerham  turned  on  him  sharply.  "  I  am  com- 
pounding a  felony,"  he  cried;  "  but  still,  if  you  are 
quick,  you  will  get  away.    I  won't  detain  you." 

By  this  time  two  or  three  men  had  come  in  from 
the  hall  to  inquire  the  meaning  of  the  delay.  They 
surveyed  the  scene  uneasily. 

*'  How  many  of  you  are  there?  "  demanded  Wes- 
terham, glancing  towards  the  door.    "  I  suppose  it 


246  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

is  a  case  of  twenty  to  one;  but  never  mind.  On 
this  occasion  it  is  my  move.  Bring  your  guns  over 
here  one  by  one.  You  on  the  left  there  start 
first." 

Lord  Penshurst  and  Kathleen  were  staring  in 
amazement  at  Westerham,  as  indeed  were  all  the 
guests.  It  was  a  simple  exhibition  of  the  domina- 
tion of  one  will  over  many.  One  by  one  the  men 
came  forward  and  deposited  their  weapons  at  Wes- 
terham's  feet. 

When  they  had  all  laid  down  their  arms  he  turned 
again  to  Melun.  "You  can  call  your  men  off 
now,"  he  said. 

Melun  was  in  no  mind  to  remain.  Without  a 
word  he  walked  out  of  the  ball-room,  calling  on  the 
men  to  accompany  him;  they  followed  him  like 
sheep. 

"  Just  a  minute,  Lord  Penshurst,"  said  Wester- 
ham, easily,  "  while  I  see  these  visitors  off  the 
premises." 

He  went  out  into  the  hall  and  watched  the  de- 
parture of  the  three  cars. 

Melun  was  shaking  with  rage.  So  angry  was  he, 
indeed,  that  his  passion  overcame  his  fear,  and  as 
he  was  about  to  enter  his  car  he  stepped  back  into 
the  hall  again  and  addressed  Westerham. 

"  You  shall  pay  for  this,  my  gentleman,"  he  said 
in  a  shaking  voice. 

Westerham  made  no  answer  except  to  say, 
"You're  wasting  time,  and  if  you  take  my  advice 
you  will  not  return  to  town  along  the  same  route 
by  which  you  came." 

Then  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  went  back  into 
the  ball-room.     There  the  men  were  busy  sorting 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  g4T 

out  the  jewels  on  the  floor  and  restoring  them  to 
their  proper  owners. 

As  Westerham  came  in  there  was  a  simultaneous 
movement  towards  him.  A  half-score  of  hands 
were  outstretched  and  a  hundred  voices  clamoured 
admiration  and  congratulation. 

But  Westerham  held  up  his  hand  for  silence, 

"  Be  kind  enough  not  to  approach  any  nearer," 
he  said;  "my  business  is  with  Lord  Penshurst,  If 
I  have  been  of  any  service  to  you  I  am  glad;  but 
please  let  the  matter  rest  at  that." 

Westerham  walked  over  to  Lord  Penshurst  and 
looked  reassuringly  into  his  face, 

"  Lord  Penshurst,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  be  grateful 
if  you  can  spare  me  a  few  minutes," 

"Certainly,"  said  the  Prime  Minister;  "let  us 
go  to  my  own  room." 

The  Premier  led  the  way  across  the  hall  and 
down  a  long  corridor  until  he  came  to  the  library. 
He  bowed  Westerham  in  before  him  and  after- 
wards closed  the  door. 

There  was  open  admiration  in  the  Premier's  eyes, 
but  at  the  same  time  he  was  distressed  and  ill  at 
ease.  Like  the  diplomat  he  was,  he  waited  for 
Westerham  to  speak  the  first  word.  Westerham 
spoke  it. 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  "  that  the  time  has  come  for 
mutual  explanations." 

"  I  have  to  thank  you,"  answered  Lord  Pens- 
hurst, "  for  having  rid  me  of  these  ruffians  to-night, 
but  as  I  imagine  that  you  have  only  done  so  to  suit 
your  own  private  ends,"  he  added  coldly,  "  I  think 
that  it  is  you,  rather  than  myself,  who  should 
make  the  explanations," 


248  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  Practically  all  the  explanations  that  I  can 
make,"  said  Westerham,  "  I  have  already  given  to 
Lady  Kathleen." 

"And  a  very  pretty  tale,  too,"  remarked  the 
Premier,  drily. 

"  None  the  less  a  true  tale.  I  can  furnish  ample 
proof  that  I  am  the  Sir  Paul  Westerham  who  dis- 
appeared at  Liverpool.  I  knew  Lord  Dunton  before 
I  left  England  ten  years  ago,  and  he  has  twice 
visited  me  in  the  States.  I  should  hardly  imagine 
you  would  doubt  his  word,  and  he  can  certainly 
establish  my  identity.  If  that  does  not  satisfy  you, 
you  can  apply  to  my  solicitor,  Mr.  Hantell." 

Still  the  Premier  looked  thoroughly  unconvinced, 
but  in  spite  of  this  Westerham  plunged  once  more 
into  the  details  of  his  meeting  with  Melun  and  the 
bargain  he  had  made  with  him. 

"  You  will  see  from  all  that  I  have  told  you," 
he  concluded,  "how  good  a  grip  I  have  on  that 
scoundrel.  But  for  the  influence  that  I  can  bring 
to  bear  on  him  he  would  never  have  surrendered  so 
quietly  to-night. 

"  Of  course  this  escapade  of  his,  mad  though  it 
seems,  was  not  without  a  motive,  and  I  judge  that 
motive  to  be  the  further  terrorising  of  Lady  Kath- 
leen and  yourself.  Once  more  let  me  appeal  to  you 
to  tell  me  frankly  and  fully  what  it  is  that  so  dis- 
tresses you." 

The  Premier  almost  laughed.  "  You  must  think 
me  a  very  credulous  person  indeed,"  he  said,  "  if 
you  expect  me  to  believe  such  a  tale  as  yours.  I 
have  several  reasons  for  thinking  that  you  are  no 
better  than  Melun,  I  am  not  sure  that  you  are  not 
worse.    If,  for  some  reason,  you  have  served  Lady 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  249 

Kathleen  and  myself,  I  presume  it  is  merely  a 
question  of  thieves  quarrelling  among  themselves." 

Westerham  flushed  hotly.  But  the  Prime  Minis- 
ter, though  he  noticed  Westerham's  annoyance, 
continued  to  speak  quietly  and  coldly. 

"Why  should  I  go  in  search  of  Lord  Dunton? 
If  you  are  not  a  liar,  send  Lord  Dunton  to  me. 
Not  that  it  would  help  matters,  for  if  you  were 
fifty  times  Sir  Paul  Westerham  you  could  not  assist 
me,  nor,  indeed,  would  I  ask  your  assistance.  But 
as  I  fully  expect  that  you  know  as  much  about  my 
troubles  as  I  do  myself,  it  would  in  any  case  be 
waste  of  breath  to  mention  them ;  and  certainly  I 
am  not  going  to  mention  anything  that  will  give 
you  and  Melun  a  stronger  hold  of  me  than  you 
have  already." 

"  But  I  tell  you,"  cried  Westerham,  **  that  I  have 
nothing  to  do  with  Melun's  schemes.  Nothing  at 
all!" 

"  That,  of  course,"  said  Lord  Penshurst,  drily, 
"will  presently  be  proved  by  your  friend  Lord 
Dunton.  In  the  meantime  I  warn  you  and  your 
accomplice  Melun  that  you  are  rapidly  driving  me 
to  desperation.  I  admit  that.  I  tell  it  to  you  to 
impress  on  you  the  necessity  of  not  going  too  far. 
It  is  rather  unfortunate  that  the  Prime  Minister  of 
England  should  have  to  liken  himself  to  a  worm, 
but  nevertheless  I  may  mention  that  even  a  worm 
will  turn." 

This  was  exasperating,  and  Westerham  found  it 
hard  to  keep  cool. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said  with  a  sigh,  "  I  am  sorry 
you  think  so  badly  of  me,  and  I  will  do  my  best  to 
open  your  eyes  as  to  the  real  truth  of  matters.    As, 


260  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

however,  I  cannot  do  that  to-night,  I  will  ask  yoit 
to  allow  me  to  withdraw." 

"  I  have  no  objection,"  said  the  Premier,  "  but 
before  you  go  perhaps  I  may  offer  you  some  hospi- 
tality. I  do  not  wish  to  be  so  ungrateful  and  un- 
gracious as  to  deny  that  I  owe  you  some  thanks 
for  to-night's  work." 

"  I  am  much  obliged,"  answered  Westerham, 
"  but  I  would  rather  be  excused  the  humiliation  of 
having  to  accept  hospitality  from  the  hands  of  a 
man  who  does  me  so  much  injustice.    Good-night." 

He  passed  out  of  the  room,  and  the  Premier  let 
him  go  without  a  word. 

In  the  hall  the  hosts  of  departing  guests  eyed 
him  with  curiosity  and  some  anxiety. 

Lady  Kathleen  was  standing  at  the  foot  of  the 
staircase,  and,  to  their  surprise,  she  stepped  for- 
ward and  held  out  her  hand. 

Westerham  bowed  over  it  but  said  nothing.  He 
would  indeed  have  choked  over  any  words  which 
he  might  have  sought  to  utter.  He  was,  perhaps, 
in  as  trying  a  position  as  he  could  well  be  in. 

It  might  have  been  that  Lady  Kathleen  expected 
him  to  say  something,  for  she  gazed  after  his  re- 
treating figure  a  little  sadly  and  wistfully.  The 
guests  in  their  evening  wraps  drew  aside  to  let  this 
tall  man  in  a  blue  serge  suit  pass  them. 

A  few  of  them  held  out  their  hands,  and  some 
of  them  called  "  Good-night " ;  but  Westerham 
passed  on  unheeding. 

The  taxicab  in  which  he  had  come  down  from 
town  was  waiting  at  the  door,  and  stepping  into  it 
he  ordered  the  man  to  return  to  London.  It  was 
nearly  three  o'clock  when  he  reached  his  hotel. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  S51 

There,  to  his  extreme  annoyance,  he  was  in- 
formed by  the  porter,  who  now  regarded  him  with 
open  suspicion,  that  a  gentleman  was  waiting  to 
see  him. 

"What  is  his  name?"  demanded  Westerham, 
sharply. 

"  He  didn't  give  any,  sir,"  said  the  man,  "  but  he 
is  in  the  smoking-room." 

Westerham  entered  that  vast  and  dimly-lighted 
apartment,  to  be  greeted  on  the  threshold  by  In- 
spector Rookley. 

"  Good  heavens !  sir,"  cried  Westerham ;  "  am  I 
never  to  be  rid  of  this  constant  persecution? 

"  Surely,"  he  continued,  "  you  received  fairly  ex- 
plicit instructions  through  the  Commissioner  from 
Lord  Penshurst  to  let  me  alone  ?  " 

"  I  know,  sir,"  said  the  detective,  soothingly, 
"but  you  have  an  unfortunate  habit  of  stirring  us 
up  afresh.  I  have  called  now  about  this  business 
at  Trant  Hall." 

"Oh!"  said  Westerham,  starting,  "what  about 
it?" 

"  I  understand,"  said  Rookley,  "  that  you  were 
there?" 

"If  it's  any  satisfaction  for  you -to  know  it," 
said  Westerham,  "  I  was.  But  I  don't  quite  re- 
member seeing  any  members  of  the  police  force 
there,  and  I  should  be  glad  to  ascertain  how  it  is 
that  my  presence  at  the  Hall  was  notified  to  you." 

"  It  came  first  of  all  by  telephone  from  the  local 
police,"  said  Rookley,  "  and  I  then  had  a  message 
'phoned  through  from  Lord  Penshurst.  It  seems 
that  he  sent  word  on  your  behalf,  and  he  was  at 
great  pains  to  tell  us  of  the  service  you  had  rendered 


THE    CRIME    CLUB 

him.  He  said  he  was  telephoning  because  we  might 
imagine  that  you  were  in  mischief,  whereas  you 
happened  to  be  the  man  who  had  saved  them  all 
from  theft  and  possibly  from  violence, 

"Of  course,  sir,"  the  detective  continued,  "that 
clears  you  more  or  less.  I  cannot  argue  with  the 
Prime  Minister,  or  I  would  have  pointed  out  to  him 
that  you  must  have  been  in  the  business  yourself  or 
you  could  never  have  got  wind  of  the  affair  and 
turned  up  at  all.  So,  as  this  is  a  very  serious 
matter  indeed,  I  waited  here  to  ask  you  what  you 
know  about  it." 

"  Look  here,"  cried  Westerham,  annoyed  past  all 
endurance,  "  I  don't  know  half  as  much  about  this 
matter  as  Lord  Penshurst  does  himself.  If  you 
want  to  know  wh'at  I  had  to  do  with  it,  go  and  ask 
the  Prime  Minister.  Personally,  I  decline  to  say 
anything  at  all." 

*'  You  do  ?  "  Rookley  was  staring  at  him  un- 
easily while  he  scratched  his  head.  He  was  as  cer- 
tain as  he  could  be  in  his  official  mind  that  he  was 
constantly  running  up  against  the  most  astute  of 
master  criminals  that  he  had  ever  met.  It  per- 
plexed him,  too,  beyond  measure  that,  whenever  he 
felt  his  grip  fastening  on  the  man,  the  Prime  Min- 
ister should  step  in  to  save  him. 

He  would  truly  have  loved  to  arrest  Westerham 
there  and  then  upon  suspicion;  but  the  telephonic 
message  from  Trant  Hall  made  that  desirable  ob- 
ject impossible. 

"Well?"  he  began  again. 

"  Good-night,"  said  Westerham ;  and  turning  on 
his  heel  he  walked  contemptuously  away,  leaving 
the  baffled  detective  to  make  what  excuses  he  could 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  253 

to  the  night  porter,  who,  ignorant  of  the  detect- 
ive's identity,  was  beginning  to  suspect  him  of  be- 
ing no  more  honest  than  he  should  be. 

Westerham  slept  badly,  and  awoke,  after  a  suc- 
cession of  uneasy  dreams,  at  about  nine  o'clock  in 
response  to  a  knock  at  his  door. 

To  his  surprise  it  was  neither  the  boots  nor  the 
chambermaid  who  entered  at  his  bidding;  instead 
there  stood  before  him  a  tall,  cadaverous  man, 
wearing  a  long  black  frock-coat,  whom  he  instantly 
recognised  as  the  manager. 

The  manager  closed  the  door  and  walked  over 
to  Westerham's  bedside.  His  manner  was  at  once 
offensive  and  deferential. 

*'You  will  have  to  excuse  me,  sir,"  he  said,  "but 
I  thought  it  better  to  speak  to  you  in  your  own 
room  than  to  rouse  any  remark  by  sending  a  mes- 
sage requesting  you  to  speak  to  me  in  mine. 

"  I  am  aware  that  Lord  Dunton  called  to  visit 
you  here,  and  I  know  sufficient  about  his  lordship 
to  feel  no  uneasiness  about  his  friends  as  a  rule. 
But  really — you  must  pardon  my  saying  so — you 
make  things  a  little  awkward  in  this  hotel." 

Westerham  sat  up  in  bed  and  looked  at  the  man 
quizzically. 

"Your  appearances  and  disappearances,"  con- 
tinued the  manager,  avoiding  Westerham's  eyes, 
"have  already  led  to  considerable  comment.  Be- 
sides, after  inquiry  this  morning,  I  discovered  that 
Mr.  Rookley  from  Scotland  Yard  was  here  waiting 
for  you  till  the  small  hours.  Fortunately  the  night 
porter  did  not  know  who  he  was,  or  things  would 
have  been  still  more  awkward." 

"  On  the  other  hand,"  suggested  Westerham,  "  it 


«54i  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

might  have  been  that  Rookley  called  on  me  for  the 
purpose  of  consulting  me  rather  than  of  holding 
an  investigation  as  to  my  movements." 

The  manager  eyed  him  coldly. 

"  That's  hardly  what  I  have  been  given  to  un- 
derstand," he  said, 

Westerham  reddened  with  anger.  It  seemed  to 
him  that  Rookley,  being  baffled,  was  seeking  to 
make  himself  disagreeable.  Westerham  was  be- 
ginning to  feel  indeed  something  like  an  outcast, 
moved  on  from  place  to  place  without  time  for  rest. 

"  You  want  me  to  leave  ?  "  he  asked  shortly. 

The  manager  made  a  queer  sort  of  bow. 

"  Very  well,"  Westerham  returned ;  "  for  my 
part  I  have  no  objection." 

To  himself  he  reflected  that  within  a  few  days 
the  man  would  bitterly  regret  his  mistake. 

So  Westerham  packed  his  little  bag  and  went 
out.  First  he  went  on  foot  to  Victoria,  where  he 
left  his  bag  in  charge  of  the  cloak-room. 

Then  he  breakfasted  at  a  restaurant,  and  after  he 
had  consumed  a  moderate  quantity  of  doubtful  ham 
and  still  more  doubtful  eggs  he  smoked  cigarette 
after  cigarette  while  he  thought  over  the  situation. 

At  last  he  hit  upon  a  solution — as  he  thought — 
to  the  whole  difficulty;  a  solution  which  was  so 
extraordinarily  daring  that  he  laughed  to  himself 
as  he  conceived  it. 

The  idea  tickled  his  fancy  immensely,  but  he  did 
not  embrace  it  without  all  his  customary  caution. 

Carefully  and  methodically  he  weighed  the  pros 
and  cons  of  success,  only  to  be  ultimately  con- 
vinced that  the  arguments  against  the  scheme  were 
of  practically  no  account. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  255 

To  secure  the  success  of  his  enterprise,  however, 
he  needed  at  least  one  assistant,  and  his  mind  turned 
without  hesitation  in  the  direction  of  Dunton. 

But  before  he  saw  Dunton  it  was  expedient  to 
ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  Melun.  Then  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  he  had  been  more  than  foolish 
to  allow  Melun  to  escape  from  Trant  without  hav- 
ing secured  any  information  as  to  where  he  now 
lay  in  hiding. 

Had  he  returned  to  his  rooms  ?  That  was  doubt- 
ful ;  and  the  doubt  was  confirmed  when  Westerham 
called  at  Rider  Street  to  ascertain.  Captain  Melun 
had  not  returned  to  town. 

Grateful  to  Mme.  Estelle  for  the  timely  news 
she  had  given  him  of  Melun's  journey  to  Trant 
Hall,  Westerham  was  by  no  means  unmindful  of 
his  promise  to  tell  her  of  all  that  had  happened. 

He  had  simply  delayed  his  visit  because  he  had 
been  in  hopes  that  if  he  could  only  find  Melun  he 
would  be  able  to  go  to  her  with  some  definite  prop- 
osition. 

For  it  was  now  entirely  obvious  that  Melun, 
unable  to  be  true  to  any  man  or  any  woman,  had 
merely  been  using  Mme.  Estelle  as  an  agent,  and 
had  not  the  faintest  notion  of  fulfilling  his  promise 
to  her. 

It  was  inconceivable  that  unless  Melun  wished 
to  push  his  advantage  to  the  utmost — that  is  to  say, 
to  the  extreme  limit  of  forcing  Lord  Penshurst  to 
agree  to  his  marriage  with  Lady  Kathleen — that 
he  could  possibly  have  had  the  hardihood,  not  to 
say  the  foolhardiness,  of  conducting  the  raid  of 
the  night  before. 

Two  days  previously  Lady  Kathleen  had  de- 


^e  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

clared  to  Westerham  that  only  a  week  remained. 
Two  days  of  that  week  had  already  slipped  away, 
so  that  now  only  five  days  were  left  in  which  to 
find  Melun  and  bring  his  works  to  naught. 

Westerham  wondered  whether  he  would  find 
Mme.  Estelle  tractable.  That  also  was  open  to 
doubt.  And  while  he  thought  on  the  matter  he 
was  tempted  to  go  just  a  little  back  on  his  word 
and  refuse  her  the  information  she  had  asked  for 
until  she  told  him  in  what  way  he  could  lay  his 
hands  on  the  truant  captain. 

But  this,  he  reflected,  in  spite  of  all  that  was  at 
stake,  would  be,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  dishonour- 
able ;  and  it  was  with  every  intention  of  proving  to 
Madame  that  the  captain  was  playing  her  false  that 
Westerham  took  a  cab  and  drove  to  St.  John's 
Wood.    He  found  Mme.  Estelle  alone  and  anxious. 

She  gave  him  no  greeting,  though  she  almost 
ran  towards  him  as  he  entered  the  little  drawing- 
room. 

"  What  have  you  to  tell  me  ? "  she  cried. 

"  Nothing,"  answered  Westerham,  "  that  is  ab- 
solutely definite;  but  at  the  same  time  I  am  con- 
vinced that  Melun  is  not  treating  you  justly  and 
honourably.  After  last  night's  affair  was  over — 
you  may  not  have  heard  that  I  defeated  Melun's 
raid — I  spoke  for  some  time  with  Lord  Penshurst. 
He  would  tell  me  nothing;  but,  none  the  less,  I  am 
convinced  that  Melun  is  insisting  that  his  marriage 
with  Lady  Kathleen  shall  take  place  at  once." 

For  some  minutes  Madame  sat  in  complete  si- 
lence, with  her  hands  tightly  clasped  together. 
Then  she  looked  up  and  said,  "  Can  you  prevent 
that  without  completely  ruining  Melun  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Westerham,  thoughtfully.    "  I  think 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  257 

I  can  contrive  it;  but  I  must  first  know  where  I 
can  see  the  captain." 

Madame  rose  and  looked  at  him  long  and  ear- 
nestly. 

"  Though  I  trust  your  word,"  she  said,  "  I  can 
see  that  it  would  be  very  difficult  for  you  to  meet 
him  without  some  dreadful  trouble  arising.  If  you 
can  only  see  him  in  public  it  would  not  matter  so 
much.  You  are  a  gentleman  and  would  not  create 
a  scene. 

"Yes,"  she  went  on,  more  to  herself  than  to 
Westerham,  "  I  think  that  is  the  better  way.  To- 
night— ^just,  I  think,  to  prove  that  he  cares  for 
nobody — Melun  has  taken  a  box  at  the  Empire.  I 
am  going  there  with  him.  It  is  possible  that  you 
could  join  us." 

Westerham  laughed  with  some  bitterness. 

"  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  your  suggestion,"  he 
said,  "  but  you  do  not  seem  to  appreciate  that  I 
have  been  robbed  by  Melun  of  all  the  appurtenances 
of  a  decent  existence.  It  is  to  his  efforts — and  to 
some  extent  yours — that  I  am  at  the  present  mo- 
ment, in  spite  of  all  my  millions,  homeless.  I  have 
not  even  a  dress-suit  to  my  name.  If,  therefore, 
my  appearance  in  your  box  this  evening  is  a  little 
incongruous,  you  will  have  to  excuse  me." 

"Quite  so;  quite  so,"  said  Mme.  Estelle  with  a 
queer  smile,  the  meaning  of  which  was  not  at  the 
moment  obvious  to  Westerham. 

After  this  he  took  his  departure;  nor  did  he  for 
the  moment  fulfill  his  intention  of  visiting  Dunton. 
It  was  useless  to  go  to  that  young  man  until  after 
he  had  met  Melun.  After  that  meeting  his  plans 
might  have  to  be  remodelled. 

To  distract  his  thoughts  he  went  to  a  matinee, 


«68  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

and  afterwards  dined  alone,  lingering  over  his 
cigarette  till  the  restaurant  clock  showed  him  it  was 
half -past  nine. 

He  then  made  his  way  to  the  Empire  and  entered 
the  lounge.  From  there  he  was  able  to  discern 
quite  easily  the  box  in  which  Melun  was  seated. 
He  made  his  way  to  it,  and  without  even  the  for- 
mality of  knocking  turned  the  handle  of  the  door 
and  went  in. 

As  he  did  so  Melun  rose  angrily  to  his  feet,  and, 
as  though  he  had  never  known  Westerham  in  his 
life  before,  demanded  what  he  meant  by  the  in- 
trusion. 

Westerham  bowed  to  Mme.  Estelle,  and  then 
turned  his  attention  to  the  captain. 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,"  he  said  shortly ;  "  I  have  not 
the  slightest  intention  of  being  treated  in  this  way. 
I  think  you  had  better  sit  down." 

For  his  own  part,  Westerham  drew  up  a  chair 
and  seated  himself  in  front  of  the  box  so  that  his 
face  and  figure  could  be  seen  by  all  observers.  It 
was  indeed  the  prospect  of  this  which  had  so 
alarmed  Melun  and  had  resulted  in  his  taking  up  so 
tactless  an  attitude  towards  Westerham.  Melun 
was  fearful  lest  some  of  those  present  in  the  thea- 
tre should  have  been  numbered  among  Lord  Pens- 
hurst's  guests  of  the  night  before,  in  which  case 
the  freedom  which  Westerham  made  of  his  box 
might  lead  to  a  suspicion  that  the  captain  himself 
was  implicated  in  the  raid. 

Westerham  smiled  at  the  discomfited  Melun  as 
though  he  hugely  enjoyed  the  joke. 

"  You  may  well  be  alarmed,"  he  said,  "  and  you 
had  better  be  civil,  or  I  certainly  shall  not  relieve 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  259 

you  of  my  presence,  which  is  apparently  obnoxious, 
and  which  I  fancy  you  imagine  to  be  a  source  of 
danger  to  you." 

"Mark  you,  Melun,"  he  went  on,  turning  his 
head  away  from  Mme.  Estelle  so  that  the  woman 
could  not  catch  his  words.  "  Mark  you,  there  are  a 
great  many  things  about  which  I  want  an  explana- 
tion. When  I  made  my  bargain  with  you  I  had  no 
idea  that  I  should  come  to  be  regarded  as  a  partner 
in  crime  with  a  murderer.  Things  have  gone  too 
far. 

"  However,  for  Mme.  Estelle's  sake,  I  will  not 
cross-examine  you  here.  I  insist,  however,  that 
you  shall  tell  me  where  and  when  I  can  find 
you." 

"And  if  I  decline  to  say?" 

Westerham  had  foreseen  the  possibility  of  this 
answer,  and  had  made  up  his  mind  as  to  how  he 
should  meet  it  if  it  came.  He  saw  that  he  could 
not  extort  a  statement  from  Melun  there,  and  was 
resolved  on  a  different  method. 

Without  a  word — and  he  knew  that  his  silence 
would  cause  Melun  the  deepest  anxiety — he  rose 
and  left  the  box. 

He  waited  patiently  till  the  end  of  the  perform- 
ance and  then  succeeded  in  following  Melun  into 
the  street. 

As  he  had  counted  on  his  doing,  Melun  took  a 
hansom  and  drove  away  with  Mme.  Estelle.  Wes- 
terham followed. 

The  hansom  in  front  of  him  bowled  quickly  along 
Piccadilly,  turned  up  Berkeley  Street,  and  then 
made  at  a  good  pace  for  Davies  Street.  Here  Melun 
alighted,  and  having  said  "  Good-night !  "  to  Mme» 


260  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Estelle,  let  himself  into  a  small  private  hotel  with 
a  latch-key. 

Westerham,  who  had  passed  Melun's  cab, 
stopped  his  own  further  up  the  street  and  marked 
the  house  from  the  little  window  at  the  back  of 
the  hansom.     He  was  satisfied. 

He  immediately  ordered  the  man  to  turn  about 
and  drive  to  Dunton's  room.  Dunton  was  sitting 
before  a  fire,  enjoying  a  pipe  before  he  turned  in. 

Westerham  immediately  plunged  into  every  de- 
tail of  his  story  which  he  dared  disclose  and  still 
keep  faith  with  Lady  Kathleen.  Dunton  heard  him 
out  with  open-mouthed  wonder. 

Next  Westerham  proceeded  to  explain  to  Dun- 
ton the  counter-move  against  Melun  which  he  in- 
tended to  put  into  execution  on  the  morrow. 

When  he  had  finished  speaking,  Dunton  rocked 
on  his  chair  with  laughter,  as  though  delighted  be- 
yond measure  with  the  proposal. 

And  certainly  Dunton  had  some  justification  for 
his  merriment,  for  what  Westerham  proposed, 
gravely  and  of  fixed  purpose,  was  the  kidnapping 
of  the  Prime  Minister. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE   CAPTURE  OF  LADY  KATHLEEN 

It  was  for  very  excellent  reasons  that  Melun  had 
not  driven  up  to  St.  John's  Wood  to  fetch  Mme. 
Estelle  to  the  Empire;  and  his  caution  in  other 
matters  thus  saved  him  from  an  unpleasant  cross- 
examination  concerning  Kathleen. 

It  is  true  that  when  Westerham  had  left  the 
box  Madame  made  several  efforts  to  broach  the 
subject,  but  Melun  succeeded  in  steering  clear  of 
the  matter  until  after  they  had  left  the  theatre. 
As,  however,  the  cab  proceeded  to  Davies  Street 
she  made  a  further  attempt  to  pin  him  down  to 
the  subject.     But  again  Melun  evaded  it. 

Few  men  knew  better  than  Melun  the  damage 
that  could  be  done  one  by  a  jealous  woman,  and  as 
he  sat  alone  that  night  over  his  whisky-and-soda, 
the  obvious  signs  of  jealousy  which  Marie  had 
shown  him  caused  him  great  disquiet. 

From  Madame,  however,  he  turned  to  the  more 
important  business  of  deciding  what  he  should  do 
to  bring  the  Premier  to  his  knees  without  further 
delay.  And  it  was  a  strange  coincidence  that  just 
as  Westerham  was  explaining  to  Lord  Dunton  his 
scheme  for  kidnapping  the  Prime  Minister,  Melun 
hit  upon  the  plan  of  abducting  Lady  Kathleen  as 
the  surest  means  of  inducing  Lord  Penshurst  to 
surrender. 

861 


S6^  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

So  each  man  in  different  parts  of  London  worked 
out  two  similar  schemes,  which  on  the  morrow 
were  to  clash  and  to  produce  an  extraordinary 
sequence  of  events. 

Melun  sat  till  late  perfecting  his  plan  of  abduct- 
ing Lady  Kathleen,  but,  turn  and  twist  the  matter 
though  he  might,  he  saw  no  means  of  carrying  it 
through  unless  he  sought  Mme.  Estelle's  assistance. 

Therefore  he  rose  early  in  the  morning,  and  was 
ringing  at  the  bell  of  the  villa  in  St.  John's  Wood 
before  the  neighbouring  clocks  were  striking  nine. 
He  knew  that  the  most  favourable  opportunity  for 
his  project  would  come  shortly  after  noon,  and 
even  though  Mme.  Estelle  consented  to  lend  her 
aid  there  was  still  much  to  be  done. 

He  entered  the  morning-room  without  ceremony, 
and,  scarcely  pausing  to  say  "  Good-morning," 
drew  a  chair  to  the  table  at  which  Madame  sat  at 
breakfast. 

"  Marie,"  he  said,  "  the  crisis  in  our  fortunes 
has  arrived  to-day.  I  want  all  the  help  you  can 
give  me,  and  you  will  want  all  your  nerve." 

Mme.  Estelle  eyed  him  calmly. 

"  Indeed,"  she  said.  "  But  even  though  the  crisis 
in  our  fortunes  arrived  within  the  next  ten  min- 
utes there  are  certain  questions  which  I  must  ask 
you  first." 

Melun  fidgeted  impatiently.  He  realised  that  he 
could  no  longer  baulk  the  question  of  Lady  Kath- 
leen, and  the  sooner  he  got  himself  out  of  the  dif- 
ficulty the  better  for  his  day's  work. 

**  George,"  said  Madame,  stretching  out  her 
right  hand  and  brushing  Melun's  lightly  with  her 
fingers,  "  George,  are  you  playing  me  false  ? " 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  263 

"  Playing  you  false  ?  "  he  cried,  with  a  fine  show 
of  indignation.  "What  do  }^ou  mean?" 

"I  mean  that  either  you  have  told  me  too  much 
or  too  little.  If  I  am  to  believe  you,  the  Premier's 
secret  which  we  hold  is  worth  at  least  half  a  mil- 
lion of  pounds.  You  say  you  are  certain  of  the 
money,  and  that  the  moment  it  is  yours  we  are  to 
be  married  and  leave  this  miserable  mode  of  life. 
If  this  is  so  I  am  content.  But  now  I  hear  other 
news.  I  hear  that  this  is  not  the  only  price  which 
you  are  asking  for  the  return  of  the  Premier's  pa- 
pers. I  am  told  that  as  part  of  the  bargain  you  are 
to  be  permitted  to  marry  Lady  Kathleen." 

Melun  jumped  out  of  his  chair. 

"  It's  a  lie !  "  he  shouted,  "  and  I'll  take  my  oath 
that  that  rattle-brained  fool  Westerham  is  respon- 
sible for  your  stupid  fancies." 

"  But  are  they  fancies  ?  "  urged  Madame. 

**  Fancies !  Of  course  they  are  fancies.  What 
good  do  you  think  it  would  do  me  to  be  tied  to  a 
girl  like  that?  Surely  half  a  million  should  con- 
tent any  man.  I  wish  to  be  free  to  pursue  my  life 
with  you.  The  sooner  indeed  I  am  free  from  all 
this  business  the  better. 

"  Bagley  and  the  rest  of  them  can  say  what  they 
please  and  shout  as  they  please.  They  know  noth- 
ing that  can  possibly  betray  me,  and  certainly  noth- 
ing that  can  harm  me.  When  he  has  paid  the 
price  you  may  be  sure  that  Lord  Penshurst  will 
look  to  that." 

Madame  Estelle  looked  greatly  troubled. 

"Are  you  sure,  George,"  she  asked  again,  "that 
this  is  absolutely  true?  Oh!  be  sure  that  I  dis- 
like to  distress  you  in  this  way,  but  I  cannot  helg 


S64  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

it.  Up  to  the  present  I  have  found  Sir  Paul 
Westerham  a  most  truthful  man,  and  I  don't 
see  why  he  should  be  telling  me  falsehoods 
now." 

"You  don't  see  why?"  echoed  Melun,  with 
splendidly  simulated  scorn;  "you  don't  see  why? 
Of  course  you  don't,  because  you  are  blind!  Blind! 
You  are  blind  with  suspicion  and  distrust,  and  he, 
for  his  own  ends,  is  simply  playing  on  your  fears. 
He  wants  to  upset  you,  to  put  me  out  of  court  with 
you. 

"  H  he  can  break  our  friendship,  if  he  can  sever 
the  ties  which  bind  us,  then  his  task  is  the  easier. 
Has  it  not  occurred  to  you  that  he  has  been  trying 
to  turn  your  mind  against  me  simply  that  he  may, 
for  his  own  ends,  call  you  to  his  aid?  Is  it  not 
so?" 

For  several  minutes  Mme.  Estelle  pulled  her  roll 
to  pieces  and  made  little  pellets  of  the  dough  with 
her  nervous  fingers. 

"Yes,"  she  said  at  last;  "perhaps  that  is  so.  I 
have  not  looked  at  it  in  that  light." 

"  My  dear  Marie,"  cried  Melun,  with  a  greater 
show  of  tenderness  than  he  had  yet  exhibited, 
"  surely  I  have  been  true  enough  and  faithful 
enough  all  these  years  for  you  to  believe  me  now. 
Indeed,  you  must  believe  in  me,  because  if  you 
don't  believe  in  me  and  give  me  your  support  the 
cup  of  happiness  which  is  so  near  our  lips  may  be 
dashed  away  from  them. 

"  Listen ! "  he  went  on,  "  and  see  whether  I  am 
speaking  the  truth  or  not. 

"  It  is  impossible  for  this  business  to  drag  on  in  - 
this  way  any  longer.    I  must  bring  matters  to  a 


\ 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  S65 

head  at  once,  and  I  see  only  one  way  to  do  it — I 
shall  kidnap  Lady  Kathleen." 

Mme.  Estelle  started  and  looked  at  him,  half  in 
terror,  half  in  admiration, 

"It  is  a  bold  plan,"  she  said. 

"  A  bold  plan,"  Melun  agreed,  "  and  a  plan 
which  must  succeed  if  you  will  help  me.  The  dif- 
ficulty is  to  get  the  girl  away,  and  I  shall  have  to 
leave  that  entirely  to  you.  What  is  more,  there  is 
very  little  time  to  be  lost.  The  Cabinet  meets  at 
noon,  and  for  a  couple  of  hours  after  that  Lord 
Penshurst  will  be  busy  with  his  colleagues.  Con- 
sequently during  that  time  Lady  Kathleen  will  be 
alone. 

"  Fortunately  I  managed  to  put  young  Hilden 
out  of  the  way,  at  least  for  a  time,  so  that  we  shall 
be  free  of  his  prying  and  peeping  and  officiousness 
when  you  call  to-day." 

"  When  I  call  to-day ! "  repeated  Madame  in 
tones  of  wonderment. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  continued  Melun ;  "  it  is  you  who 
will  have  to  call.  A!s  things  are  at  present  it  is 
naturally  impossible  for  me  to  show  my  face  near 
Downing  Street.  With  you,  however,  the  matter  is 
quite  different.     No  one  there  knows  you. 

"  Now  I  have  left  nothing  to  chance.  Wester- 
ham,  if  you  please,  must  go  nosing  around  the 
garage  in  Rupert  Street  to  find  out  where  his  car 
is.  It  had  gone,  of  course,  to  Holyhead  as  the 
result  of  my  instructions.  The  manager  wired  to 
the  chauffeur  at  Chester  to  return  to  town  at  once. 
But  I  wired  to  Birmingham  to  stop  it  there.  Crow 
went  down  and  dismissed  the  chauffeur,  saying  that 
he  came   from  Westerham.     The  car  is  now  in 


^e6  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

Chelsea,  and  we  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  using  it 
to-day.  It  is  just  the  car  we  want,  because  for 
some  reason  or  other  Westerham  had  it  fitted  with 
blind  shutters." 

Madame  nodded  her  head. 

"We  will  telephone  to  Westminster  and  get  the 
car  to  meet  us  at  Oxford  Circus.  You  can  go  down 
to  Downing  Street,  and  I  will  take  a  taxicab  to 
the  Star  and  Garter,  Richmond.  When  you  get 
to  No.  lo  simply  ask  for  the  Lady  Kathleen,  but 
give  no  name  and  refuse  your  business*  That  will 
merely  arouse  her  curiosity,  and  the  fact  that  you 
come  in  such  a  car  will  certainly  obtain  you  an 
audience." 

Melun  then  went  on  to  give  Madame  various  in- 
structions, enjoining  her  not  to  talk  to  Lady  Kath- 
leen on  the  way  down  to  Richmond. 

They  then  took  a  cab  to  Oxford  Circus  together 
and  telephoned  from  the  District  Messengers'  of- 
fice to  the  garage  at  Chelsea  for  the  car  to  come 
on  to  them  at  once  at  Pagani's. 

It  was  shortly  after  twelve  o'clock  when  Wester- 
ham's  car  reached  the  famous  restaurant  in  Great 
Portland  Street. 

Melun,  as  he  took  leave  of  Mme.  Estelle,  again 
enjoined  her  to  silence ;  and  though  Madame  prom- 
ised that  she  would  not  discuss  his  affairs  with 
Lady  Kathleen,  she  was,  if  the  truth  were  told, 
not  quite  decided  whether  she  would  keep  her 
word. 

Her  arrival  in  Downing  Street  occasioned  a  little 
surprise  and  not  a  little  curiosity  on  the  part  of  the 
doorkeeper  when  she  refused  to  give  her  name. 
Without  much  delay,  however,  she  was  shown  into 
the  long,  old-fashioned  drawing-room,  and  it  was 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  ^67 

not  many  minutes  before  Lady  Kathleen  ap- 
peared. 

Kathleen  came  into  the  room  very  quietly.  The 
sudden  alarms  and  excursions  amid  which  she  had 
lately  lived  were  accustoming  her  to  strange  and 
unexpected  events,  and  she  instinctively  guessed 
that  the  woman  who  awaited  her  in  the  drawing- 
room  was  in  some  way  connected  with  her  father's 
secret. 

As  she  entered  the  room  Mme.  Estelle  rose  from 
her  seat  and  bowed.  She  did  not  attempt  to  shake 
hands,  nor,  indeed,  did  Lady  Kathleen  make  any 
demonstration  of  friendship. 

During  the  short  drive  from  Oxford  Street  Ma- 
dame had  rehearsed  her  little  part  to  herself.  Now 
she  played  it  perfectly. 

"  Russia  needs  you,"  she  said. 

Kathleen's  face  paled,  and  she  drew  back  a  step. 

**  I  don't  quite  understand,"  she  said. 

Madame  smiled  in  quite  a  charming  way.  "  Lady 
Kathleen,"  she  said,  "  I  cannot  explain  very  much, 
for  I  know  very  little.  I  was  simply  requested  by 
the  Russian  Embassy  to  inform  you  that  a  special 
emissary  from  St.  Petersburg  asks  to  see  you  at 
once.  Who  he  is,"  Madame  continued,  shrugging 
her  shoulders,  "  I  really  cannot  say.  Sometimes, 
you  know,  the  Russian  officials  are  mysterious,  and 
I  have  only  my  work  to  do.  I  ask  no  questions ;  it 
is  not  my  business. 

"  But  this  gentleman,  whoever  he  may  be,  is 
seemingly  fearful  of  being  seen  in  London,  and  he 
has  asked  you  to  meet  me  at  Richmond  in  an 
hour's  time." 

"Whereabouts  in  Richmond?"  asked  Kathleen. 

"  At  the  Star  and  Garter  Hotel.    I  was  asked  to 


«e8  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

assure  you  that  in  all  probability  he  would  not 
detain  you  long." 

Kathleen's  heart  now  beat  faster  with  hope  and 
now  slowly  with  fear.  When  she  had  left  the 
Czar's  cousin  at  Rouen  that  great  personage  had 
given  no  indication  that  there  was  anything  further 
to  be  discussed.  He  had  simply  delivered  his  ulti- 
matum and  taken  his  way  back  to  St.  Petersburg. 

Kathleen  looked  at  the  clock. 

"  I  suppose,"  she  asked,  "  you  do  not  know 
whether  this  gentleman  would  be  likely,  to  wait  ? " 

"  I  am  instructed,"  replied  Mme.  Estelle,  "  that 
he  cannot  possibly  wait.  He  is  catching  the  three- 
o'clock  mail  back  to  France." 

It  was  certainly  an  exceedingly  awkward  position 
for  a  girl  to  be  in.  Hitherto  she  had  undertaken 
no  negotiations  with  the  Czar's  agents  except  on 
the  advice  of  her  father,  and  it  seemed  a  remark- 
able thing  that  she  should  be  sent  for  in  this  way 
in  person. 

That  she  could  disturb  her  father  was,  of  course, 
out  of  the  question,  and  with  some  misgivings  she 
decided  that  it  would  be  best  to  accompany  her 
mysterious  visitor  without  further  delay. 

"  I  will  be  with  you  in  a  few  moments,"  she 
said,  and  passed  out  of  the  room  to  put  on  her 
outdoor  things. 

When  she  returned  she  found  Madame  already 
on  her  feet,  as  though  anxious  to  depart — and  anx- 
ious to  depart  she  was. 

From  the  beginning  Mme.  Estelle  had  cherished 
no  liking  for  her  mission,  and  the  sight  of  Kath- 
leen's pale  and  troubled  beauty  had  unnerved  her 
not  a  little.    The  place  oppressed  her. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  269 

She  admitted  to  herself  that  her  notions  were 
entirely  fanciful,  but  still  the  whole  atmosphere  of 
the  rather  sombre  and  old-fashioned  drawing-room 
seemed  charged  with  tragedy. 

Kathleen  preceded  her  visitor  down  the  stairs, 
and  then  they  entered  the  car.  It  was  the  Pre- 
mier's official  attendant  who  opened  and  shut  the 
door  of  the  motor  for  them.  The  chauffeur  was 
apparently  busy  with  the  machinery,  his  head  in- 
side the  bonnet. 

Whatever  small  trouble  the  man  was  encounter- 
ing with  the  engines  was  of  short  duration,  for 
Kathleen  had  scarcely  settled  herself  in  her  seat  be- 
fore the  car  began  to  move. 

As  the  big  motor  car  swung  round  into  White- 
hall a  second  car  entered  Downing  Street  and  had 
to  draw  up  short  in  order  to  avoid  a  collision. 
Kathleen,  thinking  that  an  accident  was  unavoid- 
able, leant  forward  and  looked  out  of  the  window, 
and,  to  her  astonishment,  she  discerned  the  face  of 
Westerham  in  the  other  car. 

She  drew  back  again  with  an  exclamation,  and 
though  she  set  it  down  as  imagination  at  the  time, 
she  had  no  doubt  afterwards  that  as  a  matter  of 
fact  Mme.  Estelle  had  become  deathly  pale. 

The  car  proceeded  at  a  rapid  rate  up  White- 
hall and  turning  along  Pall  Mall  made  its  way  into 
Piccadilly. 

The  run  to  Richmond  was  a  smooth  one,  un- 
marked by  any  incident,  and  for  the  most  part, 
both  the  women  were  profoundly  silent. 

Each,  indeed,  was  occupied  with  her  own 
thoughts.  Mme.  Estelle,  as  she  cast  furtive  and 
sidelong  glances  at  Lady  Kathleen,  became  more 


270  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

jealous  and  a  little  more  disinclined  to  believe 
Melun's  protestations  at  every  mile. 

She  would  have  given  much  to  be  able  to  ask 
Lady  Kathleen  point-blank  whether  or  not  Melun 
had  made  a  marriage  with  her  one  of  the  condi- 
tions which  he  was  seeking  to  foist  on  the  Prime 
Minister.  But  she  had  the  good  sense  to  see  that 
even  a  tentative  question  of  this  sort  would  in- 
stantly arouse  Lady  Kathleen's  suspicions.  Even 
as  the  pseudo  agent  of  the  Russian  Government 
her  knowledge  of  affairs  could  not  be  supposed  to 
include  a  matter  such  as  this. 

Kathleen,  for  her  part,  had  spent  the  time  in  try- 
ing to  account  for  Westerham's  presence  in  Down- 
ing Street.  Presumably  he  was  about  to  make 
some  further  effort  to  persuade  her  father  of  his 
bona  ades.  And  she  grew  more  unhappy  as  she 
thought  what  her  father's  answer  would  again  in- 
evitably be,  and  could  only  pray  that  Westerham 
might  have  sufficient  forbearance  to  persevere  in 
spite  of  the  Premier's  certain  rudeness. 

Presently  Kathleen,  watching  from  the  window, 
saw  the  familiar  shape  of  the  Star  and  Garter  come 
into  view.  Slightly  to  her  surprise  the  motor-car 
did  not  slacken  its  speed,  but  went  on  through  the 
gates  of  Richmond  Park.  Then,  almost  for  the 
first  time,  she  spoke  to  her  companion. 

"  The  man  must  have  made  a  mistake,"  she  said ; 
"he  has  passed  the  hotel." 

"Has  he?"  asked  Madame,  with  an  air  of  as- 
tonishment. **  That  is  rather  strange.  He  must 
know  the  way.  Perhaps  there  is  something  wrong 
with  the  machinery." 

But  Lady  Kathleen  shook  her  head,   for  she 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  S71 

knew  enough  of  motoring  to  appreciate  the  steady 
purr  of  an  engine  which  is  running  well. 

Suddenly  the  brakes  were  applied  with  consider- 
able force  and  the  car  came  to  a  rapid  standstill. 

Then  the  door  swung  open  and  a  man  leaped  in. 

Almost  instantly  he  pulled  up  the  blind  shutters 
which  covered  the  glass  and  shut  out  all  the  light, 
so  that  the  interior  of  the  car  was  in  complete 
darkness. 

Kathleen  gave  a  little  cry  and  shrank  back 
against  the  cushions.  For  in  the  darkness  she  felt 
the  car  give  a  great  bound  onwards  and  rush  down 
the  hill. 

She  heard  a  low  laugh,  and  then  the  scraping  of 
a  hand  as  it  fumbled  for  the  electric  button. 

The  hand  groping  in  the  darkness  found  the 
switch  and  flooded  the  car  with  light. 

Kathleen  sat  bolt  upright  and  uttered  a  second 
cry  as  she  saw  grinning  at  her  from  the  opposite 
side  of  the  car  the  evil  face  of  Melun. 


CHAPTER   XX 

THE   FARM   ON   THE   HILL 

For  a  while  Kathleen  was  too  bewildered  to  say 
anything,  but  soon  one  ugly  fact  stood  out  hard 
and  convincing.     She  had  been  betrayed. 

Slowly  she  gathered  all  her  mental  resources 
together  and  slowly  she  looked  from  Melun  to 
Marie  Estelle  and  back  to  Melun. 

During  the  past  few  weeks  she  had  learned  to 
expect  infamy  and  even  treachery,  but  she  had  not 
looked  for  any  action  so  villainous  as  this. 

As  the  car  went  bounding  down  the  hill  at  an 
ever-increasing  rate  of  speed  Kathleen  saw  Melun 
give  an  appreciative  nod  to  the  woman  at  her  side, 
and  she  watched  a  little  smile  of  triumph  flit  across 
the  woman's  mouth. 

Kathleen  could  only  dimly  wonder  what  this  new 
move  meant.  That  she  had  been  kidnapped  she 
could  not  doubt,  but  for  precisely  what  purpose 
she  could  not  understand,  though  she  judged  that 
she  had  been  taken  prisoner  with  the  idea  of  hurry- 
ing Lord  Penshurst  to  a  decision. 

The  first  shock  of  Melun's  entry  over,  Kathleen 
steeled  herself  against  all  fear,  and  calling  her 
pride  to  her  assistance  disdained  to  ask  any  ques- 
tions. 

The  silence  in  the  electric-lighted  car  became, 
indeed,  so  oppressive  that  Melun,  who  had  been 
waiting  for  some  passionate  outburst  on  Kathleen's 
part,  could  bear  it  no  longer. 

878 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  I  suppose,"  he  said,  looking  at  her  with  an 
insolent  sneer,  "  that  I  owe  you  an  apology  for  be- 
ing compelled  to  treat  you  in  this  way  ?  " 

But  Kathleen  made  no  answer;  she  only  looked 
at  him  with  scorn. 

"As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  consider  it  was  well 
and  neatly  done,"  continued  Melun,  "  Excellently 
planned  and  excellently  carried  out.  My  con- 
gratulation to  you,"  and  again  he  gave  Mme.  Es- 
telle  a  little  nod. 

Once  more  there  was  silence,  but  it  was  Kath- 
leen who  broke  it  now.  She  was  determined  to 
carry  the  war  into  the  enemy's  camp.  If  she  could 
achieve  nothing  else,  she  could  at  least,  by  showing 
a  mingled  boldness  and  resignation,  cause  Melun 
considerable  uneasiness. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  put  up  these  things  " — and 
she  tapped  lightly  with  her  fingers  against  the  blind 
shutters — "because  you  were  afraid  that  I  might 
scream  or  struggle  ?  " 

"That  is  precisely  the  case,"  said  Melun. 

"You  need  have  no  fear  of  that,"  returned 
Kathleen.  "  I  give  you  my  word  that  I  will  neither 
call  out  nor  attempt  to  escape.  The  women  of 
my  family  are  in  the  habit  of  acting  bravely  and 
openly." 

She  intended  this  as  a  covert  hit  at  Mme.  Es- 
telle,  and  apparently  the  shot  went  home,  for  she 
saw  the  woman  redden  a  little  and  slightly  turn 
away  her  head. 

Melun  gave  Kathleen  one  quick,  shrewd  glance 
and  then  lowered  the  shutters ;  and  Kathleen,  look- 
ing almost  lazily  out  of  the  window,  saw  that  they 
were  now  almost  clear  of  the  park,  and,  so  far  as 


«7*  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

she  could  judge  by  the  position  of  the  sun,  were 
running  towards  the  southwest. 

The  drive  continued  in  complete  silence.  Mme. 
Estelle  remained  red  and  awkward,  Melun  was 
morose  and  ill  at  ease.  Kathleen  alone  was  self- 
possessed,  though  pale.  She  even  forbore  to  ask 
whither  they  were  bound,  for  though  sadly  tempted 
to  do  so,  she  checked  herself  with  the  rather  sad 
reflection  that  she  would  know  sooner  or  later. 

By-and-by  they  drew  near  to  a  considerable  town, 
and  Melun,  in  spite  of  Kathleen's  promise,  drew 
the  blind  shutters  up  once  more. 

He  had,  however,  the  grace  to  be  moderately 
apologetic. 

"  It  is  not  because  I  distrust  your  word.  Lady 
Kathleen,"  he  said,  "but  because  I  have  to  take 
precautions.  One  does  not  know  who  might 
happen  to  look  into  the  car." 

It  was  not  long  before  Melun  lowered  the  shut- 
ters again,  and  Kathleen's  heart  gave  a  little  thump, 
for  looking  out  on  the  country  she  realised  that 
she  was  on  a  familiar  road.  She  recognised  the 
high  hedges  between  which  they  were  running  as 
those  which  border  the  long  lane  running  between 
Croydon  and  Hayes  Common. 

The  car  began  to  shoot  up-hill,  and  they  went 
over  a  breezy  heath,  subsequently  running  down 
into  the  valley,  as  Kathleen  judged,  of  Farnbor- 
ough. 

For  a  little  while  they  kept  to  the  main  road  and 
then  turned  off  to  the  left  again.  Half  an  hour's 
run  brought  them  to  Westerham — from  which 
place  Sir  Paul  took  his  title. 

As  the  car  turned  to  the  left  once  more  Kath- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  275 

leen  had  little  doubt  that  they  were  bound  for 
Sevenoaks;  nor  was  she  wrong. 

But  the  car  did  not  stop  here;  it  swept  past  the 
Royal  Crown  Hotel,  past  the  old  Grammar  School, 
past  the  wooded  stretch  of  Knole  Park,  down  the 
steep  and  tortuous  River  Hill. 

At  Hildenborough  the  car  turned  up  to  the  right 
and  raced  through  the  Weald  of  Kent.  This  was 
all  familiar  ground  to  Kathleen,  and  she  realised 
that  to  some  extent  they  were  doubling  on  their 
tracks,  making  a  zigzag  course  along  the  valley  at 
the  base  of  Ide  and  Toys  Hill. 

Suddenly  the  car  stopped,  and  Kathleen,  looking 
through  the  open  window,  saw  the  chauffeur  get 
down  from  the  seat  and  open  a  gate  which  appar- 
ently led  to  a  more  private  path. 

Through  this  the  car  passed  and  was  swallowed 
up  in  a  wood.  But  the  jolting  and  rattling  over 
ruts  soon  ceased,  the  road  widened  and  became 
smooth,  and  they  began  to  climb  in  curves  up  the 
face  of  a  steep  hill. 

By-and-by  they  came  to  a  small  plateau  on  the 
edge  of  which  was  an  old  farmhouse.  The  ground 
dropped  almost  sheer  away  from  it  at  the  southern 
end,  while  almost  the  whole  of  the  front  of  it  was 
washed  by  a  muddy  and  apparently  deep  pool. 

As  they  drew  up  before  the  little  low  doorway 
Kathleen  heard  several  great  dogs  baying  at  dif- 
ferent points. 

The  chauffeur  got  down  from  his  seat  again  and 
drew  near  to  open  the  door.  Then  for  the  first 
time  Kathleen,  with  a  sinking  of  her  heart,  recog- 
nised the  man  as  Crow. 

The  short  winter's  day  had  now  drawn  to  a 


S76  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

close,  and  as  he  entered  the  house  Melun  ordered 
the  lamps  to  be  lit. 

Mme.  Estelle  led  the  way  into  a  not  ill-furnished 
dining-room,  the  window  of  which  projected  over 
the  vast  cliff. 

To  reach  this  room  they  had  traversed  a  long 
passage,  and  Kathleen  appreciated  the  fact  that 
the  house  was  very  curiously  built.  It  consisted, 
indeed,  of  two  portions,  which  were  linked  together 
by  a  long  stone-flagged  corridor. 

Melun  helped  himself  liberally  to  neat  brandy. 
Mme.  Estelle  sent  for  Crow  and  told  him  to  or- 
der tea. 

Kathleen  had  been  filled  with  an  intense  fore- 
boding as  she  entered  the  house,  a  foreboding  which 
increased  as  she  slowly  recognised  that  she  and 
Mme.  Estelle  were  apparently  the  only  women  in 
the  place. 

For  the  tea  was  brought  in  by  a  man,  not  a 
farmhand  or  an  honest  countryman,  but  a  villain- 
ous-looking individual  with  a  pock-marked  face  and 
little  gold  earrings  in  the  lobes  of  his  frost-bitten 
ears.  He  walked  with  his  feet  wide  apart,  and 
with  a  slightly  rolling  gait.  He  had  an  immense 
bull  neck,  and  the  hands  with  which  he  grasped  the 
tray  were  large,  grimy  and  hairy.  Kathleen  set 
him  down  as  a  sailor ;  nor  was  she  wrong. 

When  tea  was  over  Melun  lit  a  cigarette,  and 
drawing  Mme.  Estelle  on  one  side  conversed  with 
her  for  some  time  in  whispers. 

At  the  end  of  the  whispered  conference  between 
Melun  and  Mme.  Estelle  the  woman  left  the  room 
without  so  much  as  a  word  to  Kathleen  or  even  a 
glance  in  her  direction, 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  rtl 

Melun  turned  round  with  a  baleful  light  in  his 
eyes. 

**  Now,  my  lady,"  he  said,  "  we  can  have  this 
matter  out." 

Kathleen's  afflictions  had  only  increased  her  old 
habit  of  command  and  her  natural  dignity.  Though 
in  reality  she  was  the  prisoner,  she  might  have 
been  the  captor. 

"  Before  you  speak,  Captain  Melun,"  she  said, 
"  I  also  have  something  to  say.  How  long  do  you 
intend  to  keep  me  here?  I  ask  this,  not  for  my 
own  sake,  but  for  my  father's." 

"  That,"  said  Melun,  with  a  malicious  grin,  "  de- 
pends entirely  on  your  father." 

"  By  this  time,  of  course,"  Kathleen  continued, 
"a  great  hue-and-cry  will  have  been  raised  after 
me  in  London.  Do  you  intend  to  return  there  to- 
night? Again  I  ask  this  question  for  my  father's 
sake.  He  should  be  informed  of  my  whereabouts 
at  once;  for  you  must  remember  that  he  is  an 
old  man  and  will  probably  take  this  very  much  to 
heart." 

"  He  will  not  be  informed  of  this  to-night,"  said 
Alelun,  shortly.  "  Because,"  he  continued,  with  a 
villainous  leer,  "I  am  only  cruel  to  be  kind.  I 
want  to  have  all  the  details  of  your  ransom  and 
our  marriage  settled  as  soon  as  possible.  A  night 
of  waiting  will  soften  your  dear  old  father's  heart, 
and  he  will  probably  listen  to  reason  in  the  morn- 
ing." 

Kathleen  shuddered  and  drew  a  little  further 
away  from  Melun.  "  You  coward,"  she  said,  and 
looked  at  him  with  infinite  contempt. 

Again  a  dangerous  light  leapt  into  Melun's  eyes. 


S78  THE    CHIME    CLUB 

"  Have  a  care,"  he  shouted,  "  what  names  you 
call  me  here.  I  do  not  wish  to  be  compelled  to 
make  you  feel  your  position.  But  if  necessary  I 
shall " 

Kathleen  did  not  take  her  scornful  eyes  from 
his  face,  and  Melun  at  last  looked  shiftily  away. 

As  he  apparently  did  not  intend  to  speak  again, 
Kathleen  put  to  him  another  question : 

"  Who  is  the  woman,"  she  asked,  "  you  em- 
ployed to  get  me  here?  " 

**  That  is  no  business  of  yours,"  snarled  Melun, 
"  though  you  can,  if  you  wish  to  speak  to  or  al- 
lude to  her,  call  her  Mme.  Estelle." 

"I  merely  asked,"  said  Kathleen,  "because  I 
was  curious  to  know  how  she  came  to  make  use  of 
the  name  of  Russia." 

"  It  was  simple,  perfectly  simple.  It  was  largely 
a  matter  of  guesswork.  It  was  only  natural  to 
suppose  that  you  would  be  doing  what  you  could 
to  smooth  matters  over  with  the  Czar." 

Kathleen  nodded  a  little  to  herself.  There  were 
apparently  few  details  of  her  father's  secret  with 
which  Melun  was  not  acquainted. 

"  Now,"  said  the  captain,  changing  his  tone  and 
attempting  to  be  brisk  and  businesslike,  "  let  us  for 
a  moment  consider  the  essential  points  of  the  case. 
Of  the  ransom,  of  course,  there  can  be  no  question. 
I  shall  increase  the  sum  because  of  the  obstinate 
way  in  which  your  father  has  refused  my  over- 
tures. That,  however,  will  be  all  the  better  for 
us." 

He  said  this  with  an  insinuating  air  for  which 
Kathleen  loathed  him. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  279 

"  The  only  remaining  obstacle  is  yourself.  But 
you,  perhaps,  will  no  longer  refuse  the  hand  which 
I  so  considerately  offer  you  in  marriage." 

"  Captain  Melun,"  said  Kathleen,  coldly,  "  you 
are  at  liberty  to  discuss  the  business  side  of  this 
matter  as  much  as  you  please.  But  I  decline  alto- 
gether to  allow  you  to  insult  me.  After  all,  it  is 
unnecessary,  for  I  have  nothing  to  say  on  the 
matter,  and  must  refer  you  to  my  father." 

"  I  had  hoped,"  said  Melun,  "  that  I  might  be 
able  to  gladden  his  heart  with  the  news  of  your 
consent." 

Kathleen  turned  her  back  on  him,  and  Melun 
swore  at  her  without  disguise.  But  she  paid  no 
heed. 

Presently  he  walked  round  the  room  so  that  he 
could  come  face  to  face  with  her. 

"  It  is  early,"  he  said,  "  but  early  hours  will  do 
you  good.  If  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  accompany 
me  I  will  show  you  to  your  room." 

He  led  the  way  up  three  flights  of  stairs  till  they 
came  to  a  small  landing.  Out  of  this  there  opened 
only  one  door,  and  through  this  Melun  passed. 

Kathleen  now  found  herself  in  a  large,  square 
room,  simply  and  yet  fairly  well  furnished,  partly 
as  a  bedroom  and  partly  as  a  sitting-room. 

"  It  is  here,"  said  Melun,  "  that  I  am  unfortu- 
nately compelled  to  ask  you  to  await  your  father's 
decision.  However,  I  release  you  unconditionally 
from  your  promise  neither  to  scream  nor  to  attempt 
escape. 

"  You  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  scream  to  your 
heart's  content.     There  is  no  one  here  who  will 


280  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

mind  in  the  least.  You  are  also  at  perfect  liberty 
to  make  what  efforts  at  escape  you  choose.  I  fear 
that  you  will  only  find  them  futile." 

He  went  out  quickly  and  closed  the  door  after 
him.  Kathleen,  listening  in  the  badly-lighted  room, 
could  hear  a  key  grate  in  the  lock  and  bolts  shot 
in  both  at  the  top  and  the  bottom  of  the  door. 

Quickly  and  methodically  she  made  an  exami- 
nation of  her  prison.  She  looked  into  the  cup- 
boards and  into  the  drawers  and  the  massive 
bureau.  But  there  was  nothing  about'  the  room  of 
the  remotest  interest  to  her  which  offered  the  faint- 
est suggestion,  sinister  or  otherwise. 

It  was,  indeed,  only  when  she  looked  out  of  the 
windows,  of  which  there  were  three,  that  she  dis- 
covered to  the  full  how  utterly  helpless  was  her 
position. 

The  window  on  the  south  side  was  apparently 
over  the  window  of  the  dining-room,  and,  as  she 
peeped  over  the  sill,  looked  sheer  down  the  face 
of  the  precipice  beneath  her. 

The  west  window,  she  found,  looked  down  into 
a  stone  courtyard,  while  the  window  on  the  east 
overhung  the  pond.  Apparently  she  was  impris- 
oned in  a  tower. 

When  Melun  had  reached  the  ground  floor  he 
sought  out   Mme.   Estelle. 

*'  I  have  not  had  much  opportunity  of  saying 
anything  to  you,"  he  remarked  as  he  entered  the 
room  in  which  she  was  sitting,  "but  I  should  like 
to  tell  you  now  how  splendidly  you  have  done." 

Madame  was  restless  and  ill  at  ease. 

"  H  I  had  seen  that  girl  before  to-day,"  she  said, 
"  I  should  never  have  brought  ber  here," 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  281 

"  Then  you  would  have  been  a  fool,"  said  Melun, 
rudely. 

"  Possibly,  but  still,  even  at  the  risk  of  your  dis- 
pleasure, there  are  a  few  things  which  I  do  not 
care  to  do." 

Melun  glanced  at  her  sharply, 

"  Of  course,"  she  continued,  "  it  is  too  late  now. 
I  have  made  up  my  mind,  and  we  will  go  through 
with  it,  but  frankly,  I  don't  like  this  business." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Melun ;  "  it  will  not  last 
for  ever.  To-morrow  ought  to  settle  it.  I  shall  go 
back  to  town  the  first  thing,  starting  at  about  five 
o'clock,  as  I  shall  have  to  make  a  detour.  I  have 
changed  the  number  of  the  car,  but  still  it  is  hard 
to  say  what  Westerham  may  be  up  to.  If  he  finds 
that  his  precious  motor  has  not  come  back  to  town 
he  may  take  to  advertising  it  as  stolen — which 
would  be  awkward." 

Madame  at  this  point  bade  Melun  good-night, 
and  the  captain  sent  for  Crow.  To  him  he  gave 
instructions  to  have  the  car  ready  at  five  o'clock, 
but  told  him  that  he  should  drive  it  back  to  town 
himself. 

"  You  can  serve  a  better  purpose  by  remaining 
here,"  he  said.  "  For,  mark  you,  I  will  have  no 
hanky-panky  games  in  this  house  in  my  absence. 
And,  mark  you,  too,  I  have  no  desire  to  have  Mme. 
Estelle  and  Lady  Kathleen  becoming  too  friendly. 
You  never  can  rely  on  women.  They  are  funny 
creatures,  and  Madame  is  far  too  sympathetic  with 
the  girl  already.  So  I  shall  look  to  you  to  stop 
anything  of  that  sort. 

"  For  the  rest,  you  will  know  what  to  do  if  cer- 
tain contingencies  should  arise.    I  have  not  brought 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

the  dogs  here  for  nothing."  He  broke  off  and 
shuddered  a  Httle  himself  as  at  some  short  distance 
from  the  house  he  could  hear  the  baying  of  the 
great  hounds. 

"  They  are  loose,  I  suppose  ? "  he  asked. 

Crow  nodded. 

"  Then  Heaven  help  the  stranger,"  he  rejoined 
with  a  cruel  laugh,  and  pulling  a  rug  over  himself 
he  lay  down  to  sleep  on  the  sofa. 

He  was  up  betimes  in  the  morning,  and  had,  in- 
deed, been  gone  four  hours  when  Mme.  Estelle 
came  lazily  down  to  breakfast. 

Melun  had  left  no  instructions  in  regard  to 
Kathleen's  food,  and  as  she  did  not  consider  it  ad- 
visable to  let  the  unfortunate  girl  starve,  Madame, 
after  she  had  herself  breakfasted,  set  a  tray  with 
the  intention  of  carrying  it  up  to  Kathleen's  room. 

Before  she  could  do  this,  however,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  send  for  Crow  in  order  to  obtain  the  key. 

When  she  asked  for  it,  Crow  shifted  uneasily 
from  one  foot  to  the  other. 

"  I  have  very  strict  orders,"  he  said. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  Madame  demanded 
sharply.     "  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Simply  that  the  master  said  that  you  and  the 
young  lady  were  not  to  get  talking  too  much.  He 
said  nothing  about  food,  or  of  waiting  on  her  lady- 
ship, and  it  didn't  occur  to  me  until  this  morning 
that  it  was  a,  bit  of  a  rum  job  for  a  chap  like  my- 
self to  wait  on  her. 

"  However,"  he  added,  with  a  smirk,  "  I  don't 
so  much  mind." 

But  Crow's  clumsy  utterances  had  again  aroused 
all    Madame's    sleeping    suspicions.      There    was, 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  283 

moreover,  no  reason  why  she  should  keep  silence 
now.  Her  treachery  was  a  different  matter  alto- 
gether. The  way  was  smooth  for  asking  Kathleen 
the  question  the  answer  to  which  meant  so  much 
to  her. 

She  laughed  in  Crow's  face. 

"  It  was  hardly  necessary  for  the  captain  to  give 
you  any  orders,  seeing  that  he  gave  certain  instruc- 
tions to  me.  He  said  that  as  there  was  no  other 
woman  in  the  house  it  would  be  my  place  to  take 
Lady  Kathleen  anything  that  she  actually  needed. 
I  am  going  to  take  up  her  breakfast  now.  Give  me 
the  key." 

Crow  hestitated  a  moment,  but  finally  handed 
over  the  key.  Madame  put  it  on  the  breakfast  tray 
and  went  upstairs. 

Kathleen,  as  she  heard  the  bolts  drawn  back  and 
the  key  turned  in  the  lock,  suffered  fresh  apprehen- 
sion. For  she  had  caught  the  rustle  of  Madame's 
skirts  outside,  and  she  would  rather  have  faced 
Melun  than  the  woman. 

With  very  little  apology  Mme.  Estelle  entered, 
and,  setting  the  breakfast  down,  immediately  with- 
drew. Her  impatience  to  ask  the  question  was 
great,  but  she  schooled  herself  to  waiting. 

In  half  an  hour's  time  she  went  up  for  the  tray, 
and  then  she  faced  Kathleen  boldly  and  looked  her 
in  the  eyes. 

"  Lady  Kathleen,"  she  said,  "  I  am  really 
ashamed  to  have  brought  you  here  in  such  a 
treacherous  way.  I  will  not  ask  you  to  forgive 
me,  for  you  will  not  understand.  I  can  only 
tell  you  that  I  am  a  very  loving  and  jealous 
woman." 


S84.  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

Mme.  Estelle  paused,  and  was  conscious  that 
Kathleen  looked  at  her  in  great  surprise. 

"  I  want,"  she  continued,  "  to  ask  you  a  question 
which  means  much  to  me.  Is  it,  or  is  it  not,  one 
of  Captain  Melun's  conditions  that  you  shall 
marry  him  before  he  returns  your  father's  secret?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  Kathleen,  very  quietly,  "  it  is." 

Madame's  rather  flushed  face  grew  white,  and 
her  eyes  blazed  with  passion.  She  clenched  her 
fists  and  beat  the  air  with  them. 

"Oh,  the  liar!"  she  cried,  "the  liar!  Oh!  it  is 
hard  to  be  treated  like  this  when  I  have  done  so 
much  for  him." 

Kathleen  drew  back,  startled  and  amazed. 

"  I  assure  you  that  you  need  have  no  fear  so  far 
as  I  am  concerned.  Both  my  father  and  myself 
have  refused  to  comply  with  that  condition,  and 
we  shall  refuse  to  the  end." 

Madame,  however,  paid  but  little  heed  to  Kath- 
leen ;  she  was  beside  herself  with  rage. 

"  Ah,  ah !  "  she  cried,  "  wait  till  he  returns !  I'll 
kill  him!     I'll  kill  him!" 

So  distorted  with  fury  was  the  woman's  face 
that  Kathleen  became  alarmed  for  her  sanity.  She 
drew  near  to  her  and  endeavoured  to  catch  her 
hands  in  her  own,  imploring  her  to  be  calm. 

By-and-by  Mme.  Estelle  listened  to  her,  and  in 
a  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling  fell  on  her  knees, 
sobbing  bitterly. 

Kathleen  bent  over  her,  doing  her  best  to  console 
her,  and  presently,  as  the  woman  grew  calmer,  she 
endeavoured  to  turn  the  situation  to  her  own  and 
her  father's  advantage. 

"  The    best    way    to    defeat    Captain    Melun's 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  285 

scheme,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,"  she  urged,  **  is 
to  release  me." 

But  at  that  Mme.  Estelle  leaped  to  her  feet  again 
and  her  face  was  hideous  in  its  cunning. 

"  Ah!  not  that,"  she  cried,  "  not  that!  If  I  dis- 
trust him,  I  distrust  you  still  more.  Your  pretty- 
face  may  look  sad  and  sorrowful,  and  you  may 
declare  to  me  that  you  will  never  consent;  but  I 
will  wait  and  see.  I'll  wait  until  Melun  returns 
and  confront  you  with  him.  Then  perhaps  I  shall 
learn  the  real  truth." 

Kathleen  made  a  Httle  despairing  gesture  with 
her  hands;  argument,  she  saw,  would  be  useless. 

Gathering  herself  together,  Madame  blundered, 
half  blind  with  tears,  out  of  the  room,  and  Kath- 
leen with  a  sinking  heart  heard  the  bolts  drawn 
again. 

All  through  the  day  Madame  sat  brooding,  send- 
ing Kathleen's  lunch  and  tea  up  to  her  by  Crow. 

All  the  evening  she  still  sat  and  brooded,  until 
as  eleven  o'clock  drew  near  and  there  w^ere  still  no 
signs  of  the  captain  she  had  worked  herself  up  into 
a  hysteria  of  rage. 

Twelve  o'clock  struck,  and  still  the  captain  was 
absent.  Another  half -hour  dragged  slowly  by,  and 
then  she  heard  his  car  grating  its  way  up  the  hill- 
side. 

She  was  at  the  door  to  meet  him,  and  would  have 
plunged  straightway  into  the  matter  which  absorbed 
her  but  for  the  sight  of  his  face. 

It  was  haggard  and  pale  as  death.  His  eyes 
w^ere  blazing  in  their  sockets,  and  his  straggling 
hair  lent  him  altogether  a  distraught  and  terrifying 
aspect. 


286  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  Melun ! "  cried  the  woman,  stretching  out  her 
hand,  "what  is  it?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  said  hoarsely;  "  I  wish  I  did, 
but  the  Premier's  gone." 

"  Gone !    What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  He  is  lost.    Westerham  kidnapped  him." 

''Impossible!" 

"  Impossible,  you  fool ! "  shouted  the  captain, 
irritably.     "It's  true — perfectly  true!" 

He  walked  into  the  hall  and  sank  exhausted 
into  a  chair.  "  As  for  me,"  he  grumbled,  "  I  have 
had  the  narrowest  escape  I  ever  had." 

"So  that's  all,  is  it?"  cried  Mme.  Estelle,  re- 
membering her  own  grievance.     "  So  that's  all ! 

"But  what  of  me?  What  do  you  think  I  have 
gone  through?  What  do  you  think  I  have 
suffered  ?    What  do  you  think  I  have  found  out  ?  " 

Melun  rose  unsteadily  from  his  chair  and  looked 
at  her  in  alarm. 

"Is  it  Lady  Kathleen?"  he  asked;  "is  she 
safe?" 

"Safe!  Oh,  yes,  she  is  safe,"  she  cried,  with  a 
peal  of  uncanny  laughter.  "  Safe  for  your  kisses 
and  for  your  caresses.  Oh,  you  liar!  you  liar!  I 
have  been  true  to  you  in  all  respects,  and  you  have 
been  false  to  me  in  everything  that  mattered.  So 
you  will  marry  the  pretty  Lady  Kathleen,  will  you  ? 
Oh,  but  you  won't !     Never !     Never !  " 

She  rushed  at  Melun  as  though  to  strike  him, 
but  Melun,  jaded  though  he  was,  was  quick  and 
strong. 

He  caught  her  brutally,  as  he  might  a  dog,  by 
the  neck,  and  threw  her  into  the  dining-room,  the 
door  of  which  stood  open,  and,  utterly  careless  as 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  287 

to  what  harm  he  might  do  to  her,  sent  the  unhappy 
woman  sprawhng  on  to  the  floor.  In  a  second  he 
had  banged  the  door  to  and  turned  the  key  in  the 
lock.  He  sank  down  on  to  the  bench  trembHng 
and  exhausted. 

He  heard  Marie  pick  herself  up  and  hurl  herself 
in  blind  and  impotent  fury  against  the  door. 

He  listened,  shaking  like  a  leaf,  as  shriek  after 
shriek  of  frenzy  reached  his  ears. 

Up  in  the  tower  Kathleen  heard  these  shrieks 
too,  and  shuddered.  A  horrible  fear  took  posses- 
sion of  her  heart  that  there  was  murder  being  done 
below. 

She  sat  on  the  edge  of  her  bed  with  her  hands 
pressed  to  her  heart,  listening  in  fascinated  horror. 

The  shrieks  died  away,  and  there  was  complete 
silence  in  the  house  for  full  half  an  hour. 

Then  Kathleen  heard  a  sudden  shout,  a  crashing 
of  glass  and  a  scrambling,  tearing  noise,  the  hid- 
eous bay  of  the  boarhounds  in  the  courtyard,  a 
scream,  and  a  thud. 

Stabbing  the  other  noise  with  sharp  precision 
came  the  sound  of  shots. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  KIDNAPPING  OF  THE  PRIME  MINISTER 

"  Out  of  evil  cometh  good,"  Had  Westerham 
caught  the  eye  of  Kathleen  as  the  two  motor  cars 
passed  each  other  at  the  corner  of  Whitehall  Kath- 
leen herself  would  have  been  spared  much  suffer- 
ing and  several  men  would  not  have  gone  to  their 
account.  But  a  meeting  at  that  moment  would 
have  so  changed  the  whole  course  of  events  that 
far  greater  trouble  would  have  befallen,  and  the 
whole  earth  might  have  become  involved  in  a  dis- 
aster which  would  have  grown,  without  question, 
into  Armageddon. 

It  was,  however,  in  happy  ignorance  of  both  the 
greater  and  the  lesser  evil  that  Westerham,  in  what 
were  really  most  excellent  spirits,  drew  up  the  car 
which  he  had  borrowed  from  Dunton  at  No.  lo 
Downing  Street. 

With  him  came  Mendip,  the  younger  of  the  two 
men  whom  he  had  met  in  such  curious  circum- 
stances at  the  gaming  club  on  the  night  when  Kath- 
leen had  staked  her  father's  honour  against  the 
bank  and,  for  the  time,  lost. 

Mendip  was  one  of  those  strange,  tired  men  who 
appear  to  do  nothing  and  yet  accomplish  much.  He 
was  slow  of  speech,  but  quick  in  action  when  oc- 
casion demanded;  silent,  serious,  and  of  a  character 
built  to  bear  with  resolution  any  temptation  or 
trial  which  might  arise. 

SS8 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  289 

Dunton  trusted  him  implicitly,  and,  in  spite  of 
his  short  acquaintance  with  him,  Westerham  trusted 
him  too. 

A  third  person  had  been  necessary  for  the  enter- 
prise, and  had  been  found  in  the  person  of 
Tom  Lowther,  a  good-natured  young  giant,  who 
laughed  his  way  through  what,  to  him,  was  a 
laughing  world. 

It  was  with  an  immense  grin  of  satisfaction  that 
he  had  taken  on  his  shoulders  the  task  of  driving 
the  car  in  which  Westerham  set  out  on  his  des- 
perate  enterprise. 

Dunton  had  left  his  chambers  early  in  the  morn' 
ing,  so  that  about  eleven  o'clock  all  the  men  who 
had  been  selected  to  drag  the  Premier's  secret  from 
him  had  gathered  in  Dunton's  rooms. 

There,  half  humorously,  Westerham  had  ex- 
plained the  project  to  them,  basing  his  argument 
upon  a  lesson  drawn  from  an  abortive  raid  which 
certain  suffragettes  had  made  upon  the  official 
residence  not  long  before. 

What  woman  could  attempt,  he  had  argued,  man 
could  decidedly  accomplish. 

So  the  plan  was  mapped  out;  and  according  to 
the  arrangements  which  Westerham  made,  Low- 
ther backed  the  car  round  in  Downing  Street  and 
drew  it  up  alongside  the  curb,  so  that  its  head 
pointed  towards  Whitehall,  and,  as  Westerham 
hoped,  the  high  road  of  escape. 

It  was  astonishing  that,  in  spite  of  the  suffra- 
gettes' attempt  on  Downing  Street,  more  precau- 
tions were  not  taken.  For  all  he  knew,  Westerham 
might  have  had  to  encounter  worse  opposition  than 
he  did.     But  he  was  prepared  for  all  emergencies. 


290  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

and,  moreover,  determined  not  to  spare  drastic 
measures  if  it  came  to  a  tight  corner. 

As  he  drew  up  to  the  door,  Westerham  hoped 
that  the  immaculate  Dunton  might  play  his  part 
as  well  as  he  intended  to  play  his  own.  Dunton 
had  gone  down  to  Chichester,  and  had  ordered 
his  yacht  to  await  him  in  the  fair  way  off  Selsey 
Bill. 

It  was  to  Dunton's  yacht  that  Westerham  deter- 
mined to  take  the  Premier. 

As  the  car  came  to  a  standstill,  Westerham  and 
Mendip  alighted  quickly,  and  without  hesitation 
pulled  the  little  brass  knob  at  No.  lo.  As  they 
expected,  the  door  was  pulled  open  quickly,  and  the 
head,  followed  by  the  figure,  of  the  Premier's 
official  door-keeper  appeared  in  the  entry. 

Westerham  was  first  up  the  steps,  with  Mendip 
hard  at  his  heels. 

He  pushed  the  man  aside,  and  had  slammed  the 
door  to  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  He  thrust  the 
man  back  into  the  deep,  cane-hooded  chair  in  which 
he  was  wont  to  sit  and  dream  away  his  official 
hours,  and  had  him  gagged  before  he  had  time  to 
cry  out.  Then,  by  means  of  the  straps  with  which 
he  had  provided  himself,  he  and  Mendip  securely 
lashed  the  man's  feet  together,  tying  his  hands  be- 
hind his  back. 

This  work  done,  they  paused  and  listened;  but, 
in  spite  of  the  scuffle  there  had  been,  there  was  no 
sound  of  approaching  footsteps,  nor,  indeed,  any 
sign  that  they  had  been  overheard. 

Without  a  word,  Westerham  grasped  the  man 
by  the  shoulders,  and  Mendip  took  him  by  the  heels ; 
and  so  they  carried  him  through   the  red-baize 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  291 

swing-doors  which  formed  the  entrance  to  the  pas- 
sage leading  to  the  council  chamber. 

There,  with  no  ceremony  at  all,  they  dropped 
him  on  the  ground,  and  ran  quickly  down  the 
corridor. 

At  the  bottom  of  this  there  stood  a  door,  which 
opened  easily  as  Westerham  turned  the  handle. 

They  then  found  themselves  in  a  somewhat 
ellipse-shaped  vestibule,  which,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
was  the  outer  lobby  of  the  room  where  the  Cabinet 
Council  was  being  held. 

That  the  door  of  the  council  chamber  would  be 
locked  Westerham  knew  full  well;  but  he  had 
come  prepared  to  overcome  any  difficulty  of  this 
kind. 

Nevertheless,  he  turned  the  handle,  only  to  find, 
as  he  had  expected,  that  the  key  on  the  inner  side 
had  been  turned. 

When  in  America,  Westerham  had  found  it 
necessary  to  force  more  than  one  door ;  and  now  he 
pursued  the  tactics  which  he  had  found  efficacious 
on  previous  occasions. 

Swiftly  he  drew  his  own  revolver  from  his  hip- 
pocket  and  held  out  his  other  hand  for  Mendip's. 
Mendip,  with  his  eyes  beaming,  passed  his  own 
weapon  to  Westerham  without  a  word. 

He  then  placed  the  noses  of  both  the  six-shooters 
on  the  woodwork  just  above  the  lock,  pointing  them 
downwards  so  that  no  damage  might  be  done  to 
the  ministers  within.  He  pulled  the  triggers  simul- 
taneously, and  the  sound  of  splintered  woodwork 
and  riven  iron  followed  instantaneously  on  the 
double  report. 

The  door  all  about  the  lock  was  shattered  into 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

matchwood,  and  Westerham,  thrusting  his  foot 
forward,  pushed  it  open. 

Mendip  sprang  back  in  fear  lest  his  face  should 
be  recognised  by  any  of  the  startled  ministers, 
while  Westerham  strode  calmly  into  the  room. 

The  Cabinet  Council  was  in  full  session  about 
a  long  oval  table. 

The  Premier,  who  sat  opposite  the  door,  had 
risen  from  his  seat,  and  with  a  white  face  was 
staring  directly  into  Westerham's  eyes. 

The  other  ministers  had  thrust  back  their  chairs, 
and  were  now  upon  their  feet.  There  was  complete 
silence. 

Westerham  had  not  the  slightest  fear  of  any  of 
them  being  armed,  and  without  a  pause  walked 
over  to  the  table  and  knocked  sharply  with  the 
butt  of  his  revolver  on  the  polished  wood. 

"  Lord  Penshurst,"  he  said  quietly,  "  I  wish  to 
speak  to  you." 

The  Prime  Minister's  jaw  opened  and  closed 
spasmodically,  so  that  his  white  beard  wagged  upon 
his  breast.     He  made  no  answer. 

Silently  the  other  ministers  drew  aside  into  two 
groups,  leaving  Westerham  and  the  Premier  facing 
each  other  in  the  center  of  the  room. 

With  an  effort,  Lord  Penshurst  got  the  better  of 
his  agitated  nerves  and  rapped  out  a  sharp  "  What 
do  you  want  ?  " 

"Lord  Penshurst,"  said  Westerham,  calmly, 
"  you  know  who  I  am.  You  know  on  what  mission 
I  am  here.  H  you  refuse  to  come  round  the  table 
to  speak  to  me  instantly  and  speak  to  me 
alone  I  cannot  be  held  responsible  for  the  conse- 
quences." 


i 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  293 

The  Premier,  without  a  word  and  with  traiHng 
steps  began  to  make  the  circuit  of  the  long  table. 
As  he  approached,  Westerham  drew  back  so  that 
now  he  was  at  the  entrance  to  the  council  chamber. 
He  beckoned  Lord  Penshurst  still  nearer. 

When  the  Premier  was  quite  close  to  him  he 
stooped  and  whispered  into  his  ear  so  that  none 
of  the  other  ministers  could  by  any  chance  catch 
his  words. 

"If  you  want  to  save  Lady  Kathleen  and  your- 
self, you  must  come  with  me  at  once." 

Lord  Penshurst  said,  "  It's  impossible !  " 

**  Don't  argue,"  urged  Westerham,  almost 
roughly,  "  I  regret  to  treat  you  with  so  much  dis- 
respect, but  the  crisis  for  which  you  have  been 
waiting  has  now  come.  If  you  lose,  you  know  what 
it  will  mean.  But  you  need  not  lose  if  you  will 
follow  me  now." 

During  this  conversation  the  startled  ministers 
had  drawn  together,  and  there  was  considerable 
outcry  as  Lord  Penshurst  turned  to  look  at  them 
with  a  white  face. 

"  Be  quick,"  said  Westerham ;  "  you  must  keep 
them  quiet  for  about  five  minutes.  Five  minutes 
will  do,  but  we  must  have  that  start.  Don't  fail, 
everything  depends  upon  it." 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  Premier,  slowly  and  pain- 
fully, as  a  man  speaking  in  a  dream ;  **  gentlemen, 
I  must  apologise  for  this  interruption,  but  I  assure 
you  that  the  fault  must  not  be  laid  at  the  door  of 
this  gentleman,  but  at  mine.  In  five  minutes  I  will 
return.  In  the  meantime  I  have  to  discuss  more 
important  business  than  any  which  could  detain  me 
here." 


294.  THE     CHIME     CLUB 

The  ministers  looked  at  each  other,  utterly 
aghast.  It  was  fortunate  that  Westerham's  entry 
had  been  so  swift  and  so  volcanic  that  they  were 
still  partially  dazed.  Otherwise  it  might  have  been 
necessary  for  Westerham  to  take  steps  entailing 
consequences  which  no  influence,  however  great, 
could  possibly  h'ave  averted. 

As  it  was,  they  gazed  at  the  Premier  and  the  tall 
form  of  Westerham,  sullenly  and  stupidly. 

One  of  them,  a  younger  man  than  the  rest,  sud- 
denly remembered  and  cried  out :  "  By  George,  it 
is  the  man  who  saved  us  all  at  the  dance ! " 

The  other  ministers  looked  at  their  colleague, 
with  inquiry ;  but  it  was  an  inquiry  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  stranger's  presence,  and  not  as  to  his 
exclamation.  For  the  raid  on  Trant  Hall  was  now 
a  matter  of  public  knowledge  and  consuming  public 
interest. 

Doubtless,  but  for  the  unimpeachable  reputation 
of  the  Premier,  some  of  them  would  have  cried  out 
that  this  was  a  traitorous  piece  of  work.  But  in 
spite  of  all  the  appearances  against  him,  Lord 
Penshurst's  colleagues  were  silent  on  this  point. 

Seeing  that  the  Premier  had  practically  given 
his  consent,  Westerham  grasped  him  by  the  arm 
and  at  a  rapid  rate  half  dragged  him  down  the 
corridor. 

As  they  passed  the  bound  and  gagged  porter, 
who  looked  up  with  wondering  and  bewildered  eyes 
at  his  master  as  he  was  dragged  past  him,  the 
Premier  could  not  refrain  from  uttering  a  little 
cry. 

"  Never  mind  the  man,"  said  Westerham  in  his 
ear,  and  hurried  him  on.    He  left  him  standing  by 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  295 

the  red-baize  door  for  a  moment  as  he  dashed  back 
to  turn  the  key  in  the  lock  of  the  inner  vestibule. 
But  before  the  Premier  had  an  opportunity  of 
protesting  against  this,  Westerham  was  back  at 
his  side  and  hastening  him  across  the  hall. 

In  the  hall  Westerham  looked  rapidly  about  him. 
It  struck  him  that  the  appearance  of  the  Prime 
Minister  being  rushed  hatless  across  the  pavement 
to  the  motor-car  might  arouse  curiosity  on  the  part 
of  the  policeman  who  was  slouching  up  and  down 
along  the  pavement. 

He  saw  Lord  Penshurst's  hat,  snatched  it  up, 
jammed  it  on  the  Premier's  head,  and  then,  again 
stifling  every  protest  on  the  part  of  the  old  man 
by  curtly  ordering  him  to  be  silent,  ran  him  down 
the  steps  and  across  the  pavement  to  the  car. 

By  a  miracle  the  policeman's  back  was,  for  the 
moment,  turned  to  No.  lo,  so  that  it  was  without 
the  slightest  let  or  hindrance  that  Westerham  and 
Mendip  bundled  the  Premier  into  the  car  and 
that  Lowther  started  the  motor  on  its  long  jour- 
ney. 

So  swift  and  overwhelming  had  been  Wester- 
ham's  attack  that  the  aged  Premier  was  still  too 
overcome  to  demand  any  explanation  or  to  ask  any 
questions.  He  leant  back  against  the  upholstery, 
looking  crushed  and  frail,  so  frail  that  Westerham's 
heart  smote  him  for  the  violence  that  he  had  been 
forced  to  use.  But  he  nerved  himself  to  carry  the 
thing  through,  comforting  himself  with  the  reflec- 
tion that  what  he  did  must  prove  the  salvation  of 
Kathleen. 

The  car  which  Lowther  drove  was  a  hired  one, 
but  he  was  an  expert  driver,  and  made  good  speed 


296  THE    CRIME     CLUB 

down  Victoria  Street  to  the  Buckingham  Palace 
Road  and  over  the  Albert  Bridge.  In  less  than 
fifteen  minutes  he  had  reached  Battersea  Park. 

Here  he  pulled  up  in  a  quiet  spot  and  Wester- 
ham,  opening  the  door  of  the  motor-car,  turned  to 
Lord  Penshurst. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  he  said,  "  that  I  am  obliged  to  ask 
you  to  walk,  but  you  see,  although  it  is  no  more 
than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  since  we  left  Downing 
Street,  the  whole  of  London  and  Scotland  Yard 
will  by  this  time  be  searching  for  you  in  all  direc- 
tions. And  if  there  is  to  be  any  hope  of  my  being 
able  to  help  you  out  of  your  difficulties,  you  must 
not  be  recognised." 

The  Premier  mumbled  in  his  beard,  but  was  still 
too  dazed  to  make  any  resistance.  He  followed 
Westerham  out  of  the  car,  and  suffered  Mendip 
to  take  his  arm. 

A  fourth  man  had  been  idling  by  the  side  of  the 
path  when  the  car  was  brought  to  a  standstill. 
This  was  a  friend  of  Lowther's,  who  had  been 
pledged  to  secrecy.  He  had  further  promised  to 
take  the  car  back  to  the  garage,  and,  if  necessary, 
to  swear  that  it  had  been  handed  over  to  him  by 
Lowther  on  the  Barnet  Road. 

Westerham's  subtle  mind  indeed  had  thought  out 
arrangements  which  practically  precluded  the  possi- 
bility of  their  track  being  picked  up  and  followed 
with  success;  though  naturally  the  chances  of 
escape  were  very  strong  against  him,  for,  if  ever 
the  police  had  worked,  they  would  of  a  surety  work 
now. 

Westerham  led  the  way  through  the  bushes  to 
another  roadway,  on  which  was  waiting;  a  second 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  aOY 

car,  driven  by  a  second  friend  of  Lowther's  on 
whom  reliance  could  be  placed. 

Westerham  bundled  Mendip  and  Lord  Penshurst 
into  it,  while  Lowther  climbed  up  beside  his  friend. 
They  lost  no  time,  but  drove  boldly  and  rapidly 
back  along  the  same  route  by  which  they  had  come 
until  they  arrived  at  Victoria. 

There  Lowther  gave  his  friend  instructions  to 
make  for  Buckingham  Palace.  Thence  they  raced 
up  Constitution  Hill  into  Piccadilly. 

Lowther  had  rooms  in  Stratton  Street,  which 
was  immensely  in  favour  of  Westerham's  hopes, 
inasmuch  as  few  pedestrians  and  fewer  vehicles 
frequented  that  aristocratic  cul-de-sac. 

The  street  when  they  drew  up  was  fortunately 
quite  deserted,  and  Westerham's  plans  were  further 
aided  by  the  lucky  fact  that  Lowther's  apartments 
were  on  the  ground  floor.  Lowther  had  given 
them  free  use  of  his  rooms,  and  as  the  Premier  was 
hastily  conducted  into  them  he  nodded  to  Wester- 
ham in  intimation  that  his  part  of  the  business  was 
nearly  done. 

He  went  out  into  the  street  again,  and  mounting 
the  car  drove  away.  It  had  been  arranged  that  he 
should  make  for  Salisbury  in  case  he,  too,  was 
followed,  and  he  had  immediately  agreed  to  the 
proposal,  tiresome  though  it  was. 

Mendip  did  not  enter  the  house,  but  walked 
rapidly  into  Piccadilly,  and  turning  westward, 
made  for  the  Automobile  Club.  There  his  low- 
built,  yellow-painted  racing  motor-car  was  waiting 
for  him,  and,  as  he  had  often  done,  he  took  it  over 
from  the  charge  of  his  man,  and.  making  a  detour 
by  way  of  Curzon  Street  and  Piccadilly,  got  back 


S08  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

to  Stratton  Street  just  as  Westerham  was  ready 
for  him. 

In  the  interval  the  Premier  had  somewhat  re- 
covered from  the  dazed  state  into  which  he  had 
been  thrown,  and  indignantly  demanded  of  Wes- 
terham the  meaning  of  all  his  manoeuvres. 

"If  you  will  be  good  enough  to  sit  down  for  a 
few  minutes,  Lord  Penshurst,"  Westerham  said, 
"  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to  make  matters  a  little 
clearer  than  they  are  at  present. 

"  As  I  told  you  at  Trant,  I  have  no  notion  what 
hold  Melun  has  over  you.  I  can  only  see  that  it 
must  be  a  hard  and  a  very  heavy  one.  You  de- 
clined to  believe  that  I  was  in  reality  Sir  Paul 
Westerham.  I  cannot  prove  it  to  you  yet  until  we 
find  Lord  Dunton.  In  the  meantime,  however,  I 
will  ask  you  if  you  think  that  the  men  who  have 
assisted  me  to-day  would  be  willing  to  do  my 
bidding  if  they  for  a  moment  suspected  that  I  was 
in  league  with  any  band  of  scoundrels. 

"  With  your  own  eyes  you  have  seen  Lowther 
and  Mendip.  Both  men  are  known  to  you,  both 
men  are  gentlemen,  and  I  think  you  should  take  it 
for  granted  that  if  they  are  so  kind  as  to  assist  me 
they  are  satisfied  that  I  am  doing  what  I  should." 

Lord  Penshurst  wrinkled  up  his  brows.  He 
could  not  quite  understand  how  it  had  come  about 
that  such  men  as  Lowther  and  Mendip  were 
apparently  working  hand-in-glove  with  Wester- 
ham. 

"  I  trust,"  he  said,  "  that  you  have  not  been  so 
indiscreet  as  to  make  mention  of  my  affairs  to  these 
gentlemen?  " 

"  None  whatever.     They  have  taken  the  steps 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  S99 

they  have  because  they  both  trust  Dunton  to  the 
utmost.  And  however  much  they  may  have  been 
influenced  by  the  hope  of  some  fun,  they  were  at 
least  persuaded  that  there  was  a  good  and  serious 
purpose  at  the  back  of  this  seemingly  harum-scarum 
adventure." 

Lord  Penshurst  could  do  nothing  but  gaze  about 
him  in  a  most  distressed  way,  and  Westerham 
sought  to  give  him  back  his  confidence  as  best  he 
could. 

"  I  assure  you,  Lord  Penshurst,"  said  Wester- 
ham, "that  your  only  hope  is  to  place  yourself 
entirely  in  my  hands.  There  is  only  one  way  out 
of  your  troubles;  you  must  tell  me  the  whole  of 
your  story,  for  I  alone  can  save  you.  I  alone  know 
Meluffl,  understand  him,  and  know  how  to  deal 
with  him." 

Again  the  Premier  gazed  about  him  wearily. 
"  But  Dunton,"  he  asked,  "  where  is  he  ?  It  is  all 
very  well  for  me  to  see  Lowther  and  Mendip  with 
you,  but  I  must  have  Dunton's  word  that  you  are 
really  the  man  you  say  you  are." 

"  Good,"  said  Westerham ;  "  I  had  already  ar- 
ranged, thinking  that  possibly  you  would  prefer  to 
be  out  of  London,  to  take  you  down  to  Lord 
Dunton's  yacht  which  is  lying  off  Selsey  Bill. 
However,  if  you  prefer  it,  I  will  send  for  Dunton 
to  come  here." 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  Premier,  "  I  think  I  would 
prefer  that." 

It  was  ten  o'clock  at  night  when  Dunton  arrived 
and  was  shown  into  Lowther's  rooms.  Dunton's 
story  of  Westerham  was  brief  and  to  the  point. 

At  its  conclusion  the  Premier  bowed  his  head. 


300  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"I  capitulate,  Sir  Paul,"  he  said,  "and  I  will  tell 
you  my  secret." 

Dunton  nodded  approval  and  walked  out  of  the 
room,  leaving  Westerham  and  the  Prime  Minister 
alone. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  premier's  STORY 

I  HAVE  to  confess  that  quite  unintentionally  I  did 
my  Government  and  my  country  a  great  wrong.  In 
spite  of  all  my  very  considerable  experience,  I  did 
not  see  at  the  time  the  danger  into  which  I  was 
drifting,  and  I  had  gone  too  far  to  draw  back  when 
I  realised  with  a  shock  the  awful  position  in  which 
I  had  placed  myself. 

As  you  know,  I  was  drafted  into  the  Ministry 
through  an  rather  unusual  channel.  It  is  not  often 
that  a  diplomat  forsakes  diplomacy  to  take  part  in 
politics.  An  extraordinary  combination  of  events, 
however,  contrived  to  place  me  in  a  curious  posi- 
tion, with  the  result  that  great  influence  was 
brought  to  bear  on  me  to  give  up  the  Embassy  of 
which  I  was  in  charge,  and  return  to  England  to 
take  up  a  minor  position  in  the  Cabinet. 

Probably,  in  spite  of  the  influence  which  was 
exerted,  I  should  never  have  consented  to  do  this 
but  for  the  fact  that  I  knew  the  minor  position  I 
was  offered  was  merely  a  temporary  one.  I  was 
given  to  understand  clearly  that  it  was  but  a 
stepping-stone  to  the  Premiership.  So  I  decided 
to  accept  the  office. 

Now  the  country  from  which  I  returned  was 
Russia.  I  was,  as  you  may  possibly  remember, 
Ambassador  at  St.  Petersburg. 

I  was  there  for  many  years,  and  enjoyed  an 
unusually  close  and  intimate  friendship  with  the 

301 


SO^  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

Czar.  That  was  at  once  the  beginning  of  my  am- 
bitions and  troubles.  It  was,  indeed,  that  friend- 
ship which,  to  a  great  extent,  induced  me  to  transfer 
my  labours  from  St.  Petersburg  to  London. 

I  do  not  know  what  acquaintance  you  may  have 
of  Russian  affairs,  nor  what  knowledge  you  may 
have  of  the  Emperor  himself.  I  can  only  assure 
you  that,  in  spite  of  all  that  may  be  said  against 
him,  his  Majesty  is  absolutely  sincere  and  honest 
in  his  desire  for  universal  peace.  He  suffered  un- 
told agonies  of  mind  during  the  struggle  with 
Japan,  and  since  peace  was  arranged  has  made  use 
of  every  diplomatic  means  to  bring  about  a  gen- 
eral disarmament  by  the  Powers. 

In  this  aim  he  met,  of  course,  with  most  violent 
opposition.  Some  of  the  Imperial  family  went  so 
far  as  to  accuse  their  kinsman  and  nominal  ruler 
of  being  a  traitor  to  his  country. 

However,  in  spite  of  all  opposition,  he  perse- 
vered; and,  as  he  believed  that  England  was  also 
sincere  in  her  desire  for  peace,  he  cultivated  my 
acquaintance  to  a  marked  degree. 

Unfortunately,  in  an  evil  hour,  it  suddenly 
dawned  upon  me  that  my  name  might  be  handed 
down  to  posterity,  jointly  with  that  of  the  Czar's, 
as  the  man  who  paved  the  way  to  universal  peace. 

But  my  ideas  were  different  from  those  of  the 
Czar.  His  Majesty  wished  to  work  along  the  line 
of  least  resistance,  and  was  quite  prepared  to  spend 
years  of  patient  effort  in  bringing  about  his  dream 
of  the  millennium. 

For  my  part,  I  was,  I  suppose,  an  old  man  in 
a  hurry.  I  could  not  afford  to  wait  for  years  to  see 
the  triumph  of  my  schemes,    I  was  getting  on  in 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  303 

life,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  if  I  did  not  hasten 
I  might  die  without  my  ambition  being  realised. 

I  therefore  set  to  work  entirely  to  remodel  the 
Czar's  ideas,  and  as  a  result  ultimately  worked  out 
the  most  daring  plan  for  compelling  Europe  to  lay 
down  its  arms  that  had  ever  been  conceived. 

When  that  plan  was  fully  perfected  I  was  to 
take  it  to  my  own  King  and  ask  for  his  consent  to 
it.  I  knew  his  Majesty  was  as  genuinely  desirous 
for  peace  as  the  Czar,  and  I  really  foresaw  no 
difficulty  in  being  able  to  persuade  him  to  sanction 
the  scheme  which  I  had  drawn  up. 

It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  go  into  its  full  details 
here,  but  perhaps  I  had  better  give  you  a  glimpse 
of  the  outline.  Briefly,  England  was  to  make,  use 
of  the  entente  cordiale  to  compel  France,  by  means 
of  an  ultimatum  which  would  expire  at  the  end  of 
twenty-four  hours,  to  consent  to  stand  in  with 
Great  Britain  and  Russia  in  a  demand  that  Ger- 
many's military  force  should  be  whittled  down  to 
the  limits  of  the  Swiss  Militia.  It  was  also  to  be 
stipulated  that  Germany's  naval  programme  should 
always  be  one-half  of  the  combined  programmes  of 
Great  Britain,  Russia,  and  France. 

Thanks  to  the  treaty  with  Great  Britain  made 
some  years  ago  with  the  Scandinavian  States,  the 
Netherlands,  Belgium,  Portugal,  and  Spain  and 
Italy,  Germany  would  have  been  speedily  isolated. 
She  would  have  awakened  one  morning  to  find  her- 
self absolutely  friendless,  except,  perhaps,  for  Aus- 
tria. It  would  have  been  doubtful,  too,  whether  even 
Austria  would  have  remained  faithful  to  her  push- 
ful friend  when  she  saw  the  whole  of  Europe  allied 
against  the  Fatherland. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB 

It  was  certainly  a  daring  scheme,  but  one  which, 
I  think,  must  have  met  with  instantaneous  success. 
Every  aspect  of  it  had  been  considered,  and  even 
the  contingency  provided  for  by  the  Czar  and  my- 
self. 

Naturally  it  was  impossible  to  carry  the  details 
of  so  complicated  a  piece  of  business  in  one's  head. 
I  was  half-afraid  to  commit  them  to  writing  my- 
self, and  so  the  Czar  suggested  that  he  should,  with 
his  own  hand,  draw  up  the  lines  of  the  agreement 
which  we  proposed  to  foist  on  Europe. 

I  brought  a  copy  of  the  document,  made  by  the 
Czar  himself,  back  to  this  country,  and  for  three 
years  I  waited  impatiently  for  an  opportunity  to 
present  the  scheme  to  his  Majesty,  and,  if  possible, 
persuade  him  to  put  it  into  operation. 

Those  were  three  years  of  terrible  anxiety.  I 
carried  the  papers  with  me  both  day  and  night. 
A  hundred  times  a  day  I  would  clap  my  hands  to 
my  breast-pocket  to  see  if  they  were  safe,  and  a 
score  of  times  I  would  start  up  in  my  bed  at  night 
feverishly  to  ascertain  if  I  still  had  them  in  my 
possession. 

But,  in  spite  of  all  my  care,  I  lost  them.  I  kept 
the  papers  in  a  thin  morocco-leather  case,  which 
bore  the  Imperial  arms  of  Russia.  One  day  I  was 
looking  through  them  in  my  room  in  Downing 
Street  when  I  was  suddenly  informed  that  I  was 
wanted  at  the  telephone.  Unfortunately,  at  that 
time  I  had  no  extension  to  my  room. 

I  need  not  particularise  as  to  from  whom  the 
telephone  message  came.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  it 
was  a  summons  which  I  could  not  disregard.  I 
hastily   gathered   the   papers  together   and,   as    I 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  305 

thought,  thrust  them  into  the  breast-pocket  of  my 
coat. 

Instead  of  doing  so,  however,  I  must  have  missed 
the  pocket  in  my  haste,  and  let  the  case  drop  to 
the  floor. 

I  was  detained  longer  than  I  expected  at  the 
telephone,  and  on  going  back  to  my  room  some 
quarter  of  an  hour  later,  I  instinctively  felt  in  my 
coat  to  see  if  the  papers  were  there. 

To  my  horror  they  were  gone! 

I  did  not  dare  to  excite  my  household  too  much, 
lest  the  affair  should  come  to  the  ears  of  my  col- 
leagues, and  they  should  begin  to  wonder  what 
secret  I  was  keeping  to  myself. 

Nor,  indeed,  was  it  necessary  to  make  many  in- 
quiries. I  asked  if  there  had  been  any  visitors, 
and  was  told  that  Captain  Melun  had  called,  and 
had  waited  some  five  minutes  in  my  room,  but  that 
he  had  left  before  my  return,  saying  that  he  was 
pressed  for  time  just  then,  but  would  call  later  in 
the  day. 

From  that  moment  I  had  not  the  slightest  doubt 
as  to  where  the  documents  had  gone. 

I  sent  for  Melun  and  taxed  him  with  the  theft. 
He  did  not  deny  it. 

You  may  think  it  rather  strange  that  such  a  man 
as  he  should  have  been  allowed  to  enter  my  house, 
but  I  must  explain  that  I  had  found  his  services 
exceedingly  useful  in  several  matters.  He  was  with- 
out scruple  of  any  kind,  and  it  is  often,  I  regret 
to  say,  convenient  for  a  minister  to  have  some  un- 
scrupulous agent  at  his  disposal. 

I  ordered  Melun  to  give  the  papers  up,  and  he 
laughed  in  my   face.     He  told  me  that  he  had 


806  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

mastered  their  contents,  and  quite  appreciated  what 
they  involved. 

Indeed,  he  at  once  made  the  most  insolent  de- 
mands. He  told  me  that  I  could  well  afford  to  pay 
him  a  quarter  of  a  million  sterling  to  get  the  papers 
back.  He  knew  that  my  wealth  was  great,  and 
did  not  hesitate  to  blackmail  me  to  the  fullest  ex- 
tent. 

In  the  course  of  long  and  angry  negotiations  I 
was  compelled  to  agree  to  pay  over  this  sum.  In- 
deed I  dared  not  refuse. 

He  was  not,  however,  content  with  this  rapacious 
request.  He  wanted,  he  said,  to  rehabilitate  him- 
self properly  in  society,  and  to  that  end  he  had 
the  colossal  impudence  to  demand  Lady  Kathleen's 
hand  in  marriage. 

I  tell  you  frankly.  Sir  Paul,  that  I  was  so  furious 
at  this  that  I  leaped  out  of  my  chair,  and,  old  man 
though  I  am,  struck  Melun  across  his  face. 

It  was  an  action  which  I  deeply  repented,  for, 
as  compensation,  he  demanded  another  fifty  thou- 
sand pounds,  and  again  impudently  insisted  upon 
his  marriage  with  my  daughter. 

This,  however,  I  steadily  declined  to  consider 
for  a  moment.  It  seemed  to  me  impossible  for  a 
man  of  Melun's  description  to  fail  to  be  contented 
with  three  hundred  thousand  pounds.  To  my  dis- 
may, I  found  I  was  mistaken.  He  repeated  over 
and  over  again  that  I  should  ultimately  consent 
to  his  marrying  Lady  Kathleen,  and  threatened 
me  with  exposure  and  ruin  if  I  still  held  to  my 
refusal. 

Now  I  would  have  gladly  faced  exposure  and 
ruin  rather  than  have  sacrificed  my  daughter  to 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  307 

such  a  despicable  hound  as  this.  But,  unfortu- 
nately, it  was  not  only  my  ruin  which  was  in- 
volved. 

Of  a  certainty  it  meant  the  ruin  of  British  diplo- 
macy, if  not  complete  disaster  to  the  British  Em- 
pire. 

Disturbances  in  Russia  alarmed  the  Czar.  I  sent 
Lady  Kathleen  over  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  she 
urged  him  to  make  a  personal  appeal  to  our  King 
to  put  the  plan  which  I  had  prepared  into  instant 
action. 

At  the  critical  moment  the  Czar  became 
thoroughly  afraid  of  what  the  consequences  might 
be,  and  declined  to  make  any  move.  Moreover,  he 
wrote  me  a  letter  saying  that,  even  at  the  cost  of 
Kathleen's  marriage  to  Melun,  the  papers  must  be 
recovered  and  returned  to  him. 

All  this,  of  course,  occasioned  great  delay,  and 
Melun  began  to  press  me  hard.  I  made  every 
effort,  most  of  them  legitimate,  but  some,  I  fear, 
not  quite  legal,  to  get  the  papers  back.  I  had  his 
rooms  searched,  and  I  had  the  man  himself  seized 
and  searched  in  my  presence. 

I  had  his  friends  and  himself  all  searched  on 
the  same  day  and  at  the  same  hour.  It  was  all  to 
no  purpose.  I  could  not  get  the  faintest  clue  as  to 
the  whereabouts  of  the  papers. 

Then  Melun  became  more  menacing  than  ever. 
He  demanded  £10,000  down  and  complete  immu- 
nity from  observation. 

And  to  these  requests  I  had  to  accede,  because 
he  told  me  frankly  that  if  I  were  obstinate  he 
would  at  once  open  up  negotiations  with  Germany. 
This,  of  course,  was  what  I  had  been  dreading. 


808  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

I  knew  that  if  a  breath  of  this  business  reached 
the  Kaiser's  ears  it  would  be  the  beginning  of  the 
end.  I  knew  his  Imperial  Majesty  too  well  to 
harbour  any  hope  that  he  would  not  strike  while 
Russia  and  ourselves  were  still  in  disagreement  as 
to  our  course  of  action. 

The  situation,  indeed,  was  all  the  more  of  a  night- 
mare to  me  because  I  had  acted  without  the  knowl- 
edge or  consent  of  my  King  or  my  colleagues,  and 
the  whole  brunt  of  the  blame  would  have  to  be 
borne  by  myself. 

And  what  blame  it  would  be!  What  everlasting 
shame  and  disgrace  and  misery — not  only  for  my- 
self, but  for  this  country! 

I  am  no  child  in  diplomatic  matters,  and  I  saw 
full  well  that  the  moment  Germany  came  into  pos- 
session of  the  facts,  the  last  great  fight  among  the 
nations  would  begin. 

That,  then,  is  my  story.  Four  days  ago  I  was 
given  a  week's  grace  by  the  Czar  in  which  to  re- 
cover the  papers  or  consent  to  Melun's  conditions. 
I  dare  not  disobey  the  Czar's  commands,  nor  is  it 
possible  for  me  any  longer  to  ignore  Melun's  re- 
quest. At  my  earnest  prayer  the  Czar  sent  a  spe- 
cial emissary  to  me  to  meet  Lady  Kathleen  at 
Rouen. 

His  Majesty  knew  that  in  this  matter  I  had  been 
compelled  to  take  my  daughter  into  my  confidence. 
He  quite  appreciated  the  necessity  for  this,  and  was 
indeed  most  kind  about  the  matter,  though  he  re- 
mained insistent  in  his  terms. 

You  may  judge  how  terribly  concerned  he  was 
when  I  tell  you  that  the  representative  he  sent  was 
a  member  of  the  Imperial  family.     And  even  he 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  809 

was   not   informed    of  the  contents   of   the    pa- 
pers. 

You  may  realise,  too,  how  desperate  my  position 
is,  when  I  say  that  I  have  at  last  accepted  your  of- 
fer of  help  much  as  a  drowning  man  clutches  at  a 
straw. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

A   GRISLY  THREAT 

Westerham  had  listened  to  Lord  Penshurst*s  long 
recital  with  great  attention.  From  time  to  time  he 
raised  his  eyebrows,  but  for  the  rest  he  gave  no 
sign  of  astonishment. 

As  the  Premier  concluded  Westerham  rose  and 
held  out  his  hand. 

"  We  have  not  much  time  before  us,  Lord  Pens- 
hurst,"  he  said,  "  but  I  think  I  can  promise  you  that 
you  shall  have  the  papers  back  before  the  three  days 
are  out. 

"  Meantime,"  he  continued,  "  let  us  get  back  to 
Downing  Street  at  once,  and  in  spite  of  the  sen- 
sation that  your  continued  disappearance  will 
cause,  I  think  you  had  better  not  let  it  be  known 
that  you  are  back  at  your  official  residence.  To  do 
that  would  be  to  allow  Melun  to  suppose  that  I  had 
failed  in  my  purpose,  and  if  he  thinks  that — then 
we  shall  fail  indeed." 

The  return  to  Downing  Street  was  made  in 
Lowther's  car,  and  the  Premier  entered  No.  lo 
by  the  back  door.  There  they  were  met  by  the 
news  of  Lady  Kathleen's  disappearance,  and  the 
aged  and  much-shaken  Premier  was  utterly  pros- 
trated with  grief. 

The  situation,  of  course,  was  not  only  painful, 
but  dangerous.     The  news  of  the  disappearance 

SIO 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  311 

of  the  Prime  Minister  had  created  a  profound  sen- 
sation, not  only  in  England,  but  abroad,  and  the 
cables  all  over  the  world  were  humming  with  the 
news  of  the  astounding  event. 

Downing  Street  had  at  once  been  cleared  of  the 
public,  but,  seeking  to  allay  alarm  as  far  as  possible, 
those  in  authority  had  permitted  the  representatives 
of  various  newspapers  to  wait  about  the  house  for 
tidings.  As  it  was  close  on  midnight  and  the  news- 
papers were  nearing  the  approach  of  the  next  day's 
issue,  the  reporters  were  clamouring  for  some 
word. 

Westerham  therefore  decided  to  take  a  bold 
course,  and  he  issued  a  short  statement  to  the  effect 
that  the  Premier  and  his  daughter  had  merely  left 
town  for  a  few  days,  and  that  there  was  not  the 
slightest  cause  for  public  anxiety. 

The  public,  of  course,  knew  better,  for  practi- 
cally every  detail  of  the  breaking  open  of  the  Cab- 
inet Council  Chamber  had  been  passed  from  mouth 
to  mouth.  The  episode,  indeed,  was  already  the 
wonder  of  the  age. 

Late  as  was  the  hour  of  their  return  to  Downing 
Street,  Westerham  decided  on  immediate  action 
in  his  search  for  Lady  Kathleen,  and  summoned 
help  from  Scotland  Yard.  When  the  inevitable 
Mr.  Rookley  presented  himself,  Westerham,  despite 
the  terrible  anxiety  of  the  moment,  could  not 
restrain  a  little  smile. 

Rookley  started  back  as  he  saw  him  and  his  face 
blanched.  Westerham's  explanation,  though  not 
wholly  satisfactory  to  the  detective,  was  to  the 
point. 

"J  tliink  it  would  have  been  better  if  you  had 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

told  me  before.  Sir  Paul,"  the  detective  grum- 
bled. 

"  Never  mind  about  that,"  said  Westerham, 
shortly,  "we  must  get  to  work." 

And  so,  though  he  was  intensely  weary,  Wester- 
ham and  Rookley,  together  with  Dunton  and  Men- 
dip,  started  for  Madame  Estelle's  villa  in  St.  John's 
Wood.  Repeated  pulls  at  the  bell  produced  no 
response,  and  so  they  decided  to  burst  open  the 
garden  gate.  This  they  did,  only  to  find  the  house 
shuttered  and  in  darkness.  There  was  no  time  for 
scruples  and,  obtaining  entrance  to  the  house,  they 
searched  the  place  from  ceiling  to  roof.  There  was 
no  sign  of  any  life. 

"  Limehouse !  "  cried  Westerham.  "  We  must 
try  Limehouse ! " 

"Limehouse?"  demanded  Rookley.  "What  do 
you  mean  ?  " 

In  a  few  words  Westerham  gave  Rookley  the 
history  of  the  crime  club  and  his  connection 
with  it. 

"  Really,  Sir  Paul,"  grumbled  Rookley,  "  I  think 
we  had  better  engage  your  services  at  the  Yard; 
you  seem  to  know  a  good  deal  more  about  London 
than  we  do." 

"  I  am  afraid  I  do,"  said  Westerham,  bitterly. 

They  started  for  Limehouse,  but  on  the  way 
Westerham  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  would 
be  too  late  to  serve  any  purpose.  It  was  three 
o'clock,  and  by  this  time  the  place  would  be  closed. 

Nothing  remained,  therefore,  but  to  return  to 
Downing  Street  and  seek  a  few  hours'  rest.  Wes- 
terham, fully  dressed,  flung  himelf  on  his  bed,  but 
could  not  sleep. 

At  nine  o'clock  he  went  to  visit  the  Premier  in 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  313 

his  room,  and  was  shocked  to  see  how  aged  and 
white  and  shaky  Lord  Penshurst  looked. 

Westerham  cheered  him  as  best  he  could,  and 
then,  summoning  Rookley,  set  out  to  look  for  Bag- 
ley,  the  smug  banker  of  Heme  Hill. 

They  brought  Bagley  a  prisoner  back  to  Down- 
ing Street,  but  in  spite  of  every  inducement 
and  every  threat,  he  declared  that  he  knew 
nothing  whatsoever  of  the  whereabouts  of  Me- 
lun. 

Half  maddened  with  terror  as  to  Kathleen's  fate, 
Westerham  next  turned  his  search  in  the  direction 
of  the  gaming  house.  But  Melun  had  covered  his 
tracks  well.  The  house  was  as  silent  and  devoid 
of  any  clue  as  had  been  the  villa  in  St.  John's 
Wood.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but  wait  till  night 
and  perfect  the  arrangements  for  the  raid  on 
Limehouse. 

The  arrangements  which  Rookley  made  were 
complete,  and  worked  smoothly.  So  overwhelming 
was  the  force  of  constables  that  surrounded  the 
house  that  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  members  of 
the  crime  club  was  rendered  quite  impossible. 

In  the  little  room  in  the  front  of  the  house  Wes- 
terham established  a  species  of  impromptu  police- 
court.  One  by  one  the  members  of  the  club  were 
brought  in  to  him,  and  one  by  one  they  satisfied  him 
that  they  had  no  knowledge  of  Melun's  where- 
abouts. 

Still,  Westerham  had  them  safely  kept  under 
lock  and  key.  It  was  noon  when  this  curious  in- 
quisition was  over,  and  then  he  immediately  re- 
turned to  Downing  Street  and  sought  the  Premier's 
room. 

As   Westerham   entered  he   looked   up   with   a 


814J  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

smile  which  he  fondly  imagined  was  cheerful.  His 
words  were  gloomy  enough,  and  to  Westerham 
seemed  to  have  a  certain  amount  of  reproach  in 
them. 

"  Do  you  realise,"  he  said,  "  that  we  have  practi- 
cally only  twenty- four  hours  left  in  which  to  find 
Lady  Kathleen  and  to  recover  the  papers  ?  " 

Westerham  straightened  himself  up  and  looked 
squarely  at  the  Premier. 

"  The  time  is  short,"  he  said  quietly,  "  but  I  have 
no  fear  that  we  shall  not  succeed. 

"  You  must  remember,"  he  went  on,  "  that  up 
to  the  present  it  is  we  who  have  made  all  the  efforts. 
What  is  Melun  doing?  It  is  very  strange  that  he 
should  have  remained  quiet  so  long.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  he  has  put  off  communication  until 
the  last  possible  moment  in  order  to  make  his 
claims  all  the  more  effective." 

**  Do  you  really  think  that  is  so?"  cried  Lord 
Penshurst  eagerly.  "  For  my  part,  I  was  beginning 
to  fear  that,  despairing  of  being  able  to  move  us, 
he  had  crossed  to  Germany  in  hopes  of  making 
terms  there." 

Westerham  shook  his  head  in  dissent  at  this  view 
of  the  question,  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  he  was 
growing  terribly  anxious  himself  lest  Melun 
should  after  all  have  transferred  his  efforts  to 
Prussia. 

"  No,  no ! "  he  said  to  the  Premier,  "  I  am  per- 
fectly certain  that  he  will  turn  up  just  in  the  nick 
of  time.  Otherwise,  why  should  he  hold  Lady 
Kathleen  as  hostage  for  so  long?  You  may,  I 
think,  rest  assured  that  he  would  not  still  be  de- 
taining her  if  he  had  abandoned  all  hope  of  being 
able  to  reduce  us  to  surrender." 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  S15 

The  afternoon  wore  painfully  away,  and  for  the 
first  time  Westerham  learned  how  time  can  drag. 
Up  to  the  point  at  which  he  found  himself  com- 
pletely foiled  in  his  search  for  Lady  Kathleen  he 
had  scarcely  counted  the  hours  or  even  the  days. 
Incident  had  been  crowded  on  incident,  and  action 
upon  action. 

But  now  that  he  found  himself  faced  with  the 
necessity  of  waiting  for  the  slightest  sign  that  could 
send  him  on  the  trail  again,  he  had  to  meet  and 
endure  the  greatest  trial  that  he  had  ever  known. 

It  was  such  a  helpless  and  almost  hopeless  posi- 
tion. Still  it  was  not  without  some  hope,  and  hope 
helped  considerably  to  mitigate  his  sufferings  be- 
tween the  hours  of  noon  and  three  o'clock. 

And  then,  just  as  he  had  predicted — just  as  he 
had  calculated  it  must  come  to  pass — the  expected 
message  came.  It  came  in  the  shape  of  a  telegram 
addressed  to  the  Premier,  which  read  as  follows: 

"  If  you  accept  my  terfns,  wire,  not  later  than 
four  o'clock,  to  Smith-Brown-Smith,  care  of  Poste 
Restante,  St  Martin's-le-Grand.    This  is  final. — M." 

The  receipt  of  this  wire  threw  the  Premier  into 
a  state  of  great  agitation,  and  he  was  for  answering 
it  at  once. 

"  The  offer  must  be  refused  finally,"  he  cried. 
"Don't  you  see.  Sir  Paul,  that,  after  all  that's  been 
said  and  done,  I  cannot  possibly  accept  it?  It  is 
not  in  my  power  to  do  so,  and  there  appears  to  be 
no  way  out  of  the  difficulty. 

"  Surely,"  he  went  on  in  a  wailing  voice,  "  no 
man  was  ever  in  worse  straits.  It  is  a  question  of 
my  daughter  or  Armageddon ! " 


S16  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

Westerham  restrained  him,  pointing  out  that  in 
such  a  matter  as  this  an  answer  could  not  be 
made  on  the  spur  of  the  moment.  It  was  a 
matter,  he  urged,  that  required  considerable 
thought. 

Quietly  and  concisely  he  constructed  in  his  own 
mind  a  theory  which  accounted  for  the  despatch 
of  the  telegram,  and,  as  he  thought  it  over,  he 
became  convinced  that,  in  spite  of  its  bold  state- 
ment, the  telegram  was  unreliable.  He  became 
certain  that  the  offer  which  was  made  them  was 
by  no  means  final. 

He  said  as  much  to  the  Prime  Minister,  and  ex- 
plained his  reasons. 

"  It  is  ridiculous  to  suppose,"  he  argued,  "  that 
Melun  is  such  a  fool  as  to  think  that  we  shall  agree 
to  his  terms  in  this  way. 

"  In  the  first  place,  we  have  no  assurance  that 
Lady  Kathleen  is  to  be  restored  to  us  even  for  a 
time,  and  in  the  second  place,  Melun  is  not  the  type 
of  man  to  take  anything  on  trust.  Whatever  risks 
he  may  run  in  regard  to  Lady  Kathleen  he  would 
certainly  not  leave  the  handing  over  of  the  money 
to  chance. 

"No!  Let  us  by  all  means  send  a  reply  to  the 
address  he  gives,  but  instead  of  accepting  or  not 
accepting  his  terms  let  us  word  it  in  this  way: 
*  Cannot  accept  any  terms  by  wire.  Make  appoint- 
ment at  which  matters  can  be  discussed.  Will 
guarantee  your  immunity  from  disagreeable  con- 
sequences.' " 

The  Premier  clutched  feverishly  at  this  sugges- 
tion. "  Yes,  yes !  "  he  cried,  "  I  see  now  that  it 
is  the  better  way.    Let's  send  the  telegram  at  once." 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  317 

So  the  telegram  was  despatched,  and  Westerham 
and  the  Premier  sat  down  to  wait  again. 

Lord  Penshurst  had  suggested  that  the  post-office 
should  be  watched  in  order  that  Smith-Brown- Smith 
or  his  messenger  might  be  watched  and  followed 
home. 

But  Westerham  argued  against  such  a  course, 
pointing  out  that  in  broad  daylight  it  would  be 
practically  impossible  for  even  the  most  astute  of 
followers  to  avoid  the  notice  of  the  pursued. 

"  Believe  me,"  he  urged,  "  that  such  a  step  would 
be  most  unwise,  and  at  the  best  we  should  only 
succeed  in  arousing  Melun's  suspicions.  And  if  he 
thought  we  intended  to  try  to  catch  him  tripping, 
it  would  merely  drive  him  to  extremes.  Remember 
that  we  have  to  consider  not  only  Lady  Kathleen's 
safety,  but  the  guarding  of  the  secret.  We  must 
not  push  Melun  to  the  point  of  throwing  him  into 
the  arms  of  Germany." 

Somewhat  against  his  will,  the  Premier  finally 
gave  in  to  this  argument.  For  the  next  two  hours 
he  sat  with  Westerham  alert,  anxious,  and  watchful. 

Towards  four  o'clock  the  answer  to  the  wire 
came,  but  in  a  form  so  unlooked  for  and  so  terrible 
that  even  Westerham  was  for  a  time  unnerved. 

It  came  not  in  the  shape  of  a  telegram,  but  in 
the  form  of  a  small  square  cardboard  box,  neatly 
wrapped  in  brown  paper  and  addressed  to  the  Prime 
Minister. 

It  was  brought  by  a  District  Messenger  boy, 
who,  in  response  to  inquiries  whence  the  package 
came,  could  only  say  that  it  had  been  handed  in 
at  the  Oxford  Street  office  by  a  gentleman  of  dis- 
tinctly foreign  appearance. 


318  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

Though  the  parcel  was  addressed  to  Lord  Pens- 
hurst,  Westerham  took  it  from  the  attendant  and 
with  his  own  hands  laid  it  carefully  and  softly 
down  on  the  Premier's  table. 

For  a  moment  Westerham  looked  reflectively 
at  the  Prime  Minister.  "  I  wonder,"  he  said  slowly, 
"if  this  parcel  comes  from  Melun?" 

Lord  Penshurst  was  all  eagerness.  "Let's  open 
it  at  once  and  see,"  he  said. 

But  Westerham  pushed  the  Prime  Minister's 
hands  away  from  the  package. 

"  Leave  it  alone,"  he  said,  "  we  don't  know  what 
it  may  contain." 

Lord  Penshurst  glanced  at  him  sharply.  "  Good 
Heavens ! "  he  cried,  "  you  don't  mean  to  tell  me 
that  you  think  Melun  would  dare  to  send  me  a 
bomb  or  something  of  that  sort?" 

"  One  never  knows,"  said  Westerham,  thought- 
fully. "I  think  we  had  better  send  for  Rook- 
ley." 

Rookley  came  and  surveyed  the  mysterious 
package  with  a  suspicious  gaze.  He  picked  it  up 
gently,  and  then  almost  smiled  as  he  laid  it  down 
again. 

"  I  don't  think  you  need  fear  its  containing  any- 
thing in  the  nature  of  an  explosive,"  he  said; 
"  certainly  not  an  infernal  machine.  It  is  much 
too  light." 

Westerham  nodded,  and  without  a  word  drew  a 
knife  from  his  pocket  and  cut  the  string.  Unfold- 
ing the  paper,  he  laid  bare  a  brown  cardboard  box. 

Both  the  Premier  and  Rookley  were  leaning 
eagerly  over  Westerham's  shoulders  as  he  raised 
the  lid. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  319 

Then  the  three  men  cried  out  together  and  stood 
rigid  as  though  frozen  with  horror. 

Lord  Penshurst  gave  a  second  cry,  and  reehng 
backwards  would  have  fallen  had  not  Westerham 
caught  him  in  his  arms. 

For  lying  on  the  top  of  a  little  pile  of  shavings 
was  a  human  ear.  It  was  the  small,  round  ear  of 
a  woman,  and  against  the  blood-stained  lobe 
glittered  a  single  diamond. 

"  Oh,  God ! "  cried  the  Premier,  turning  away 
his  ashen  face.    "  It's  my  daughter's ! " 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
westerham's  way  out 

Lord  Penshurst  was  beside  himself  with  grief, 
and  clung  to  Westerham  as  a  child  might,  weeping 
passionately  in  his  arms.  Rookley,  with  a  miser- 
able face,  had  slipped  out  of  the  room. 

It  was  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  Westerham 
succeeded  in  bringing  Lord  Penshurst  back  to  a 
coherent  frame  of  mind.  Then  he  helped  him  to 
his  room,  and  left  him  dazed  and  piteous  on  his 
bed. 

Of  the  three  men  who  had  made  the  dread  dis- 
covery Westerham  was  perhaps  the  hardest  hit, 
but  he  walked  back  to  the  little  box  and  its  horrible 
contents  with  set  lips  and  grim  face. 

It  was  not,  however,  without  a  little  shudder 
that  he  lifted  the  lid  and  looked  inside  again.  He 
had  anticipated  that  such  an  awful  token  would 
not  be  sent  unaccompanied  by  a  message,  and  an 
examination  of  the  box  proved  his  conjecture  right. 

Tucked  into  the  lid  was  a  crumpled  piece  of 
paper.  He  smoothed  it  out  carefully,  and  was  then 
able  to  read  the  following  message: — 

"This  should  be  a  sign  that  we  are  in  earnest. 
lYou  will  be  given  one  more  chance.  Send  to  the 
steps  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  at  nine  o'clock  to-night. 
Man  will  meet  you  there,  .and  things  can  be  dis- 
cussed.    Understand  clearly  that  this  man  must 

330 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  321 

not  be  tampered  with.  His  arrest  will  lead  not 
only  to  worse  befalling  Lady  Kathleen,  but  to  your 
secret  passing  immediately  to  Germany.  The  same 
results  will  follow  if  any  attempt  is  made  to  buy 
the  man's  assistance." 

Westerham  read  this  message  through  three 
times,  until  at  last  he  could  repeat  every  word  of 
it  by  heart.  He  folded  it  up,  and  placing  it  in  his 
waistcoat-pocket,  shut  the  lid  of  the  box  and  placed 
it  in  a  drawer  of  the  Premier's  writing-table. 

Next  he  went  back  to  Lord  Penshurst's  room, 
which  he  entered  without  knocking.  The  broken 
old  man  lay  on  the  bed,  his  face  buried  in  the 
pillows,  so  entirely  wrapped  up  in  his  grief  that 
he  scarcely  heeded  the  hand  which  Westerham 
placed  on  his  shoulder. 

But  presently  Westerham  persuaded  him  to  look 
up,  and  then  drawing  a  chair  to  the  bedside,  he  sat 
down. 

"  I  want  you  to  forget.  Lord  Penshurst,"  he  said, 
"what  you  saw  just  now.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
remember  it.  It  is  a  horrible  thing,  but  the  man 
who  did  such  an  awful  deed  shall  suffer  for  it." 

He  looked  away  with  a  set  face,  which  boded  no 
good  for  Melun  when  he  found  him. 

"  There  is,  however,  one  comfort  to  be  extracted 
from  our  distress,"  he  continued.  "At  last  we 
have  a  clue.  The  opportunity  which  I  was  certain 
must  come  is  in  our  hands  now. 

*'  Before  nine  o'clock,  however,  there  is  much  to 
be  done.  You  are  scarcely  able  to  take  charge  of 
matters  yourself,  and  you  had  better  leave  them  to 
me.     I  have  already  taken  measures  which  ought 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

to  prove  effective,  though  we  shall  have  to  act  very 
carefully  and  cautiously." 

Lord  Penshurst  dragged  himself  up  into  a  sitting 
posture  and  turned  his  blurred  and  scared  old  eyes 
to  Westerham's  resolute  face. 

He  clenched  his  fists  and  beat  excitedly  on  the 
coverlet. 

"  Don't  let  that  fiend  escape!  Oh!  if  I  had  the 
strength  I  could  kill  him!  I  could  kill  him  my- 
self!" 

Westerham  did  his  best  to  soothe  him. 

"  Have  no  fear,"  he  said,  "  that  I  shall  let  him 
slip  through  my  fingers  this  time.  And  Heaven 
judge  between  us  when  I  do  meet  him!" 

The  Premier  clutched  at  his  hands  in  an  appeal- 
ing and  childish  way. 

"  Don't  spare  him!    Don't  spare  him!  "  he  cried. 

"  There's  no  fear  of  that,"  said  Westerham,  and 
he  rose  up  to  go. 

When  he  regained  the  Prime  Minister's  study  he 
sent  for  a  map  of  London,  and  for  some  minutes 
studied  it  with  close  attention. 

He  guessed  that  a  man  who  was  risking  so  much 
as  the  emissary  appointed  by  Melun  would  take 
good  care  to  provide  himself  with  sure  and  certain 
means  of  escape.  It  was  doubtful  if  he  would  trust 
to  the  swiftness  of  his  feet,  to  the  chance  of  catch- 
ing a  passing  omnibus,  or  to  losing  himself  in  the 
underground.  In  all  likelihood,  though  he  might 
walk  to  the  actual  place  of  appointment,  he  would 
probably  drive  to  some  neighbouring  spot  in  a 
motor-car. 

It  was  upon  this  very  reasonable  assumption  that 
Westerham  based  his  plans.     The  difficulty  was, 


THE    -CRIME     CLUB  323 

as  he  knew  full  well,  that  a  score  of  little  streets 
and  alleys  led  into  St.  Paul's  churchyard,  and  any 
and  all  of  these  would  be  open  to  Melun's  ambas- 
sador. 

Westerham  did  his  best  to  place  himself  in  the 
position  of  the  man  whom  Melun  was  sending  to 
the  cathedral  steps.  And  arguing  the  matter  out 
from  this  point  of  view,  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  he  would  drive  to  Queen  Victoria  Street  or 
Newgate  Street  by  car,  and  then  proceed  to  the 
meeting-place  on  foot. 

He  ruled  the  junction  of  Newgate  Street  and 
Cheapside  out  of  court,  as  not  offering  sufficient 
oportunities  of  shelter.  That  the  man  would  choose 
the  point  at  which  Queen  Victoria  Street  ran  into 
Cannon  Street  was  equally  unlikely. 

That  left  only  one  other  route  of  escape — namely, 
the  open  thoroughfare  of  Ludgate  Hill. 

This  also  Westerham  set  aside  as  being  unneces- 
sary to  consider.  That  any  man  should  attempt 
to  escape  down  that  broad  street  at  a  time  of  night 
when  it  would  be  almost  empty  was  too  ridiculous 
to  contemplate. 

He  decided,  therefore,  that  two  motor-cars  would 
be  sufficient  for  his  purpose,  and  having  ordered 
them,  he  sent  for  Lowther  and  Mendip,  to  whom 
he  explained  his  plans. 

He  himself,  he  said,  intended  to  go  to  St.  Paul's 
by  omnibus,  so  as  to  reach  the  cathedral  as  nearly 
as  possible  on  the  stroke  of  nine. 

By  that  time  Mendip  was  to  be  in  waiting  in 
Queen  Victoria  Street,  almost  opposite  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Salvation  Army. 

Lowther  he  instructed  to  wait  at  the  corner  of 


SU  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Angel  Lane.  For  though  the  man  might  choose 
one  of  the  four  alleys  leading  from  the  church- 
yard up  to  Newgate  Street,  he  must  reach  the  main 
thoroughfare  either  just  to  the  east,  or  just  to  the 
west,  of  Angel  Lane. 

Whether  the  man  would  be  so  bold  as  to  adopt 
either  of  the  courses  which  Westerham  decided 
that  he  himself  would  choose  was  an  open  question. 
It  was  a  risk,  however,  which  had  to  be  taken,  be 
the  consequences  what  they  might. 

Westerham  saw  that  whatever  line  of  country 
the  man  might  take  at  the  close  of  the  interview, 
the  task  of  following  his  steps  would  devolve  upon 
himself.  He  could  trust  no  man  on  that  mission, 
though  he  saw  that  he  would  at  the  best  make 
but  a  poor  shadower.  His  bulk  was  much  against 
him. 

Sir  Paul,  however,  had  an  alternative  scheme  in 
mind  should  it  fall  out  that  the  man  discovered  he 
was  followed.  But  of  this  he  said  nothing  to  the 
others. 

At  a  quarter  past  eight  he  set  out  eastwards, 
travelling  slowly  by  horse  omnibus  along  the 
Strand,  down  Fleet  Street,  and  up  Ludgate  Hill. 

He  arrived  at  the  appointed  place  a  few  minutes 
before  time,  and,  entering  the  tobacconist's  shop 
at  the  south-west  corner  of  St.  Paul's  churchyard, 
he  purchased  a  cigar.  This  he  lit  slowly  and 
carefully,  and  afterwards  made  a  pretence  of 
choosing  a  pipe.  In  this  way  he  spent  five  min- 
utes. 

After  five  minutes  he  made  his  way  out  of  the 
shop,  and,  keeping  well  in  the  lee  of  the  houses,  he 
edged  his  way  to  the  corner  of  Dean's  Yard.    There 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  325 

he  drew  back  into  the  shadows,  and  while  the  clock 
struck  nine  he  watched  the  cathedral  steps  closely. 

Three  or  four  minutes  passed  before  he  observed 
a  man  cross  the  road  from  the  direction  of  Amen 
Court,  and,  passing  the  statue  of  Queen  Anne, 
slowly  mount  the  steps  of  St  Paul's. 

As  he  stood  upon  the  steps,  the  man  looked  first 
to  the  south  and  then  to  the  westward  down  Lud- 
gate  Hill.  Finally  he  turned  and  closely  examined 
the  shadows  about  the  doorways  of  the  drapers' 
stores  to  the  north. 

No  sooner  was  the  man's  back  turned  towards 
him  than  Westerham  shot  out  from  the  opening  of 
Dean's  Yard,  made  a  slight  detour,  and  walked 
boldly  up  towards  the  steps  as  if  he  had  just  hur- 
ried up  from  Ludgate  Hill. 

Though  he  was  certain  in  his  own  mind  that  the 
man  waiting  on  the  steps  was  the  messenger  whom 
he  was  eager  to  meet,  he  took  the  precaution  of 
showing  not  the  slightest  sign  of  curiosity  as  he 
strolled  towards  him. 

But  as  he  came  abreast  of  the  man  he  saw  that 
this  precaution  was  wholly  unnecessary — for  the 
man  who  waited  was  Patmore! 

Not  by  any  means  the  Patmore  whom  he  had 
seen  at  the  club  in  Limehouse  and  had  good  reason 
to  guess  was  one  of  Melun's  close  confederates. 
But  a  different  Patmore  altogether! 

His  clothes  were  no  longer  rough  and  his  hair 
no  longer  tumbled.  He  was  dressed  in  a  frock- 
coat  and  top-hat,  and  his  whole  appearance  was 
sleek  and  rather  suggested  the  prosperous  com- 
mercial traveller. 

"Well,  Patmore?"  said  Westerham,  quietly. 


S2e  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

Patmore  started.  "  You've  keen  eyes,  Sir  Paul,'* 
he  said. 

Westerham  nodded.  "  I  find  it  very  necessary," 
he  returned. 

Without  another  word,  Patmore  took  him  by  the 
arm  and  led  him  higher  up  the  steps.  At  the  top 
of  them  he  turned  and  walked  into  the  shadows 
thrown  by  the  columns  which  support  the  north 
end  of  the  fagade. 

Then  he  took  one  quick  look  about  him,  and 
having  satisfied  himself  that  no  one  was  within 
earshot,  came  direct  to  the  point. 

"Do  you  agree?"  he  asked. 

For  answer  Westerham  took  out  his  pocket-book 
and  counted  out  a  pile  of  notes  which  Dunton  had 
secured  for  him. 

"  Here,"  he  said  in  a  conversational  voice,  "  are 
twenty  thousand  pounds.  They  are  yours  if  you 
can  tell  me  where  to  find  Lady  Kathleen." 

Patmore  laughed  scornfully.  "  I  am  afraid,  Sir 
Paul,"  he  said,  "that  on  this  occasion  you  have 
made  a  mistake.  Fifty  times  that  sum  would  be  a 
Httle  nearer  my  figure." 

Westerham  stroked  his  chin  thoughtfully  and 
fixed  Patmore  with  his  keen  eyes. 

"  Well,"  he  said  slowly,  "  even  that  might  not 
be  too  much." 

The  man  shot  a  quick,  keen  glance  at  him,  and 
gave  another  little  laugh. 

"  I  daresay,"  he  said,  "  but  still  I  don't  believe 
you." 

"  That  is  rather  foolish  of  you,"  said  Wester- 
ham, "considering  how  httle  I  ask.     I  don't  want 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  3^7 

to  embroil  you ;  I  ask  for  nothing  better  than  to  be 
told  where  I  can  find  Lady  Kathleen." 

For  a  few  moments  the  man  seemed  to  be  con- 
sidering the  proposal.  But  finally  he  pushed  the 
notes  with  an  impatient  gesture  of  his  hand  towards 
Westerham. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  it's  not  worth  the  risk.  The 
other  way  the  money's  certain.  You  may  be  a  mug, 
but  not  such  a  mug  as  to  pay  over  a  cool  million 
for  information  of  that  sort.  Besides,  it  can't  be 
done.  The  sum  is  too  big,  and  what  is  more,  as  I 
said  just  now,  I  don't  trust  you." 

Westerham  gathered  the  notes  up  and  replaced 
them  in  his  pocket.  **  Very  well,"  he  said,  *'  what 
do  you  suggest?" 

"  If  you  ask  me,"  replied  Patmore,  "  Melun's 
making  a  fool  of  himself.  He  is  crazy  after  the 
girl,  and  he  is  crazy  after  cutting  a  fine  figure  in 
society.  He  still  insists  upon  having  a  quarter  of 
a  million  and  a  marriage  with  Lady  Kathleen. 
What's  more,  it's  got  to  be  settled  to-night.  You 
hand  over  the  dibs  in  the  morning,  and  we  will  tell 
you  where  the  girl  is  in  the  afternoon.  But  no 
hank!  I  tell  you  frankly  again  that  I  consider 
Melun  is  a  fool.  He  is  prepared  to  take  your  word 
for  it  that  no  questions  shall  be  asked  and  that  the 
business  goes  no  further.  The  question  is  whether 
I  am  going  to  get  your  word?  " 

Westerham  knew  well  enough  what  his  answer 
must  be,  but  he  stood  for  some  moments  with  his 
eyes  cast  on  the  ground,  as  though  he  were  weigh- 
ing the  matter  carefully. 

At  last  he  said :     "  It  is  impossible  for  me  to 


3S8  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

agree  unless  I  can  settle  things  personally  with 
Melun.  You  see,  as  the  thing  stands,  I  have  no 
guarantee  at  all  that  you  have  come  from  him." 

Patmore  swore  angrily.  "  You  ought  not  to  have 
much  doubt  after  this  afternoon,"  he  said  coarsely. 

With  the  memory  of  Lady  Kathleen's  severed 
ear  fresh  upon  him,  a  sudden  and  passionate  desire 
to  kill  the  man  there  and  then,  as  he  stood  lower- 
ing at  him,  arose  in  Westerham's  heart.  But  he 
forced  his  anger  down,  though  his  voice  trembled 
with  rage  as  he  said :  "  I  think  you  had  better  be 
careful." 

Patmore  drew  back  a  step;  he  saw  he  had  gone 
too  far. 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  Westerham  said: 
"  Very  well.  I  suppose  I  have  no  option  but  to 
agree.     Where  shall  I  meet  you  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  You  are  hardly  likely  to  kick  up  a  fuss,"  Pat- 
more answered,  eyeing  him  shrewdly,  "  so  let's  say 
the  same  place  at  noon.  Mind  you,  you  had  better 
understand  clearly  that  if  you  try  to  play  me  false 
it  will  be  all  the  worse  for  you  and  Lord  Pens- 
hurst  and  Lady  Kathleen.  We  have  made  up  our 
minds. 

"If  you  give  me  in  charge,  you  cannot  make  me 
open  my  mouth,  and  what  is  more  you  will  finish 
the  whole  business.  If  you  play  me  false  you  will 
never  see  Lady  Kathleen  again,  and  your  secret 
goes  to  Germany." 

Westerham  made  a  sudden  movement  forward 
and  looked  into  Patmore's  face.  "  What  is  the 
secret  ?  "  he  cried  eagerly. 

For  a  moment  Patmore  looked  scared,  and  then 
he  wagged  his  head  wisely,  and  Westerham's  heart 


THE     CRIME    CLUB  329 

gave  a  great  throb  of  relief,  for  he  felt  certain  that 
the  man  did  not  know.  Melun  had  kept  the  secret 
to  himself. 

Westerham  drew  away  again  and  made  to  pass 
down  the  steps.  "  Very  well,"  he  said,  "  I  will  be 
here  at  noon." 

"With  the  money?" 

"  With  the  money." 

But  Patmore  was  not  satisfied,  and  hurrying 
after  him,  plucked  at  his  sleeve.  "I  have  your 
word?"  he  asked. 

Westerham  turned  on  him  fiercely.  "  No,"  he 
said  through  his  teeth,  "  certainly  not ;  I  would 
not  take  the  word  of  a  dog  like  you,  and  there  is 
no  reason  why  I  should  give  mine.  You  can  take 
what  I  say  or  leave  it." 

For  a  few  moments  Patmore  seemed  doubtful. 
Then  he  nodded  his  head. 

"  All  right,"  he  said  sulkily. 

Westerham  walked  briskly  away,  and  made 
across  the  street  without  turning  his  head.  But  as 
he  walked  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  little  mirror, 
which  he  had  hidden  in  his  handkerchief,  and  by 
straining  his  eyes  considerably  he  was  able  to  see 
that  Patmore  still  stood  in  a  hesitating  way  be- 
neath the  monument  of  Queen  Anne. 

But  as  Westerham  reached  the  pavement  Pat- 
more moved  away,  and  Westerham  ran  round  the 
heads  of  the  horses  of  a  waiting  omnibus  and  there 
stood  still,  sheltered  behind  a  lamp-post  in  the 
centre  of  the  road. 

Patmore  had  reached  the  pavement  opposite  the 
Church  House,  and  had  turned  up  a  little  court 
between  the  two  drapers'  shops. 


830  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

He  disappeared  from  view,  and  Westerham, 
crossing  the  street,  hid  in  the  doorway  of  the 
jeweller's  at  the  corner.  Craning  his  neck,  he 
could  see  Patmore  hurrying  towards  Amen  Court. 

Then  Westerham  took  a  big  risk.  He  dashed 
up  Paternoster  Row  and  turned  up  to  the  left.  He 
ran  straight  ahead  until  he  reached  Cheapside  and 
saw  that  Lowther's  car  was  in  waiting.  It  was  a 
big  car  with  a  limousine  body,  and  Westerham, 
plunging  in,  pulled  down  the  window  at  Lowther's 
back  and  spoke  rapidly  to  him.  **  Go  on  for  twenty 
yards,"  he  said,  "then  turn,  and  just  crawl  down 
the  street." 

Westerham  had  run  as  he  had  never  run  before, 
and  was  slightly  out  of  breath;  he  knew  he  must 
have  beaten  Patmore  by  a  good  many  yards,  and  as 
there  was  no  car  in  sight  he  thought  he  might  have 
to  follow  him  when  he  marched  into  Newgate 
Street. 

But  just  as  he  had  calculated  he  would,  Patmore 
came  hastily  into  the  main  thoroughfare  and 
glanced  up  and  down.  He  gave  one  quick  look  at 
the  motor  as  it  moved  slowly  westward.  Lowther, 
to  excuse  the  slowness  of  his  pace,  was  seemingly 
having  great  trouble  with  a  clutch. 

A  motor-omnibus  rattled  past  them,  and  on  this 
Patmore  climbed. 

This  complicated  matters  considerably.  It  would 
have  been  comparatively  a  simple  matter  to  follow 
a  motor-car,  but  to  hang  behind  a  motor-omnibus 
in  such  a  way  that  they  could,  without  being 
noticed  themselves,  see  if  Patmore  left  it,  was  a 
more  difficult  piece  of  work  altogether. 

Their  anxiety  was  considerably  lessened  when 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  331 

the  motor-car  drew  up  at  the  further  end  of  Hol- 
born  viaduct.  They  saw  Patmore  leave  it  and 
jump  into  a  waiting  taxicab. 

The  taxicab  shot  straight  ahead  up  Holborn, 
and  from  the  fact  that  Patmore  had  not  troubled 
to  look  about  him  Westerham  judged  that  he  was 
not  anticipating  pursuit. 

The  taxicab,  which  they  kept  well  in  view,  ran 
quickly  through  Oxford  Circus  and  on  to  Orchard 
Street;  there  it  turned  north,  and  they  followed  it 
as  closely  as  they  dared  past  Baker  Street  to  St. 
John's  Wood  Chapel. 

As  it  shot  ahead  up  the  Finchley  Road,  Wester- 
ham wondered  whether  Patmore  was  making  for 
Mme.  Estelle's.  He  decided,  however,  that  this 
could  scarcely  be,  as  he  had  taken  the  precaution 
of  having  the  house  closely  watched  throughout  the 
day,  and  up  to  the  time  he  left  Downing  Street 
there  had  been  no  report  as  to  the  return  of  any  of 
its  wonted  inmates. 

Soon,  too,  it  became  apparent  that  Laburnum 
Road  was  not  the  goal.  The  taxicab  rushed  past 
Swiss  Cottage  and  on  to  Finchley.  Here  it 
branched  off  to  the  north,  and  finally  turned  up  a 
newly  laid-out  road. 

Westerham  called  to  Lowther  to  pull  up  at  the 
corner,  as  he  knew  their  destination  must  now  be 
in  sight. 

So  certain  was  Westerham  that  they  were  now 
nearing  the  goal  that  he  left  the  car  and  walked 
on  foot  to  the  corner  of  the  road.  Just  as  he  im- 
agined would  be  the  case,  the  taxicab  had  drawn 
up  outside  a  neat,  brand-new,  red-bricked  villa. 

He  dodged  round  the  corner  again,  and  hastily 


S3«  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

lifted  the  car's  bonnet.  He  called  on  Lowther  to 
get  down,  and  together  the  two  men  began  to  ex- 
amine a  sparking  plug  with  wholly  fictitious  energy. 
The  returning  taxicab  passed  them  at  a  good  pace, 
the  driver  paying  no  heed  either  to  them  or  to  the 
car. 

Westerham  took  a  deep  breath  and  withdrew  his 
head  from  the  covering  bonnet. 

"  Come  along,  Lowther,"  he  said,  "  I  fancy  that 
the  last  act  is  about  to  begin. 

"  I  wonder,"  he  added  more  to  himself  than  to 
his  companion,  "whether  Lady  Kathleen  is  here?" 

As  he  paused  at  the  gate  he  clapped  his  hand  to 
Lowther's  hip-pocket  and  nodded  with  approval. 

"Loaded?"  he  asked. 

Lowther  nodded. 

"  All  right,"  he  said ;  "  you  may  need  it,  but  we 
will  go  quietly  to  start  with.  I  am  going  in  first. 
If  I  don't  appear  in  five  minutes  come  in  after  me, 
and  don't  stick  at  trifles.  I  may  want  you  before 
then,  and  if  I  do  I  will  give  a  sharp  whistle, 
so 

He  rehearsed  the  whistle  under  his  breath. 

Lowther  signified  his  understanding,  and  stepped 
back  into  the  shade  of  one  of  the  brick  pillars  of  the 
gate  as  Westerham  swung  into  the  garden  and  ran 
quickly  on  silent  feet  up  the  steps. 

He  fumbled  for  a  few  moments  in  the  darkness 
till  he  found  the  electric  bell.  This  he  pushed, 
purposely  giving  the  same  number  of  rings  which 
he  had  heard  Melun  give  knocks  on  the  door  at 
Limehouse. 

There  was  a  light  in  the  dining-room  window, 
and  a   few  minutes   later   the  door  was   quietly 


THE    CRIME    CLUB 

^opened.  Westerham  put  his  foot  against  it  and 
squeezed  inside.  The  hall  was  dimly  lit,  but  there 
was  sufficient  light  to  see  Patmore's  face  go  white 
as  he  realised  that  he  had  been  fooled. 

In  a  moment  Westerham  had  him  pinned  against 
the  wall, 

"  Don't  cry  out,"  he  whispered,  "  or  it  will  be 
the  worse  for  you." 

With  his  great  strength  he  pinned  Patmore's 
flabby  arms  to  his  side  and  ran  him  through  the 
door  on  the  right,  which  stood  open. 

Still  holding  Patmore  in  his  grip,  he  kicked  the 
door  to  and  thrust  him  down  into  a  chair, 

"  Tell  me  where  Lady  Kathleen  is  ?  "  he  said  in 
a  low,  fierce  whisper. 

Patmore  remained  silent. 

"  Tell  me,"  said  Westerham  again,  "  and  tell  me 
quickly.    Tell  me  at  once  or  you  will  regret  it," 

Patmore  gave  a  sudden  wrench  and  twisted  one 
of  his  arms  free.  He  reached  out  and  grasped  a 
heavy  silver  candlestick. 

But  again  Westerham  was  too  quick  for  him. 
He  dealt  him  a  blow  on  the  muscles  af  his  shoulder 
which  half -paralysed  Patmore's  arm.  The  candle- 
stick dropped  with  a  clatter  from  his  hand. 

Westerham  gave  his  pent-up  passion  full  play, 
and  it  was  a  miracle  that  he  did  not  kill  his  man. 
He  dragged  an  antimacassar  from  a  chair  and  used 
it  as  a  gag.  With  one  powerful  hand  he  dragged 
Patmore  by  the  neck  to  the  window ;  with  the  other 
he  threw  up  the  casement  and  whistled  sharply  for 
Lowther. 

Lowther  came  running  up  the  steps  and  through 
the  open  door. 


334.  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  We'll  bind  this  cur,"  said  Westerham.  through 
his  teeth.  And  they  fastened  his  hands  and  his 
feet  togther. 

*'  Now  then/'  said  Westerham  to  Lowther,  "  heat 
that  poker  in  the  fire." 

For  a  second  Lowther  hesitated  to  obey. 

"  Do  as  I  tell  you,"  whispered  Westerham,  and 
his  face  was  the  face  of  a  madman. 

Lowther  thrust  the  poker  between  the  bars. 

Lowther  found  a  syphon  of  soda-water  and 
brought  Patmore  to  by  squirting  his  face;  then 
Westerham  lifted  the  man  up  as  though  he  were  a 
child  and  threw  him  into  the  car.  Lowther  climbed 
to  the  steering  wheel  and  headed  south  for  Kent. 

Westerham  knew  where  Lady  Kathleen  was  held 
prisoner. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  LAST   FIGHT 

As  the  car  ran  southwards  and  came  to  Oxford 
Street,  Westerham  thrust  Patmore  on  to  the  floor 
and  sat  holding  him  between  his  knees. 

Without  pity,  he  again  seized  the  shrinking  man's 
neck  in  his  great  hands. 

"Understand,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "that  if 
you  attempt  to  cry  out  you  will  be  strangled." 

Patmore  made  a  choking  noise  to  indicate  that 
he  understood,  and  the  car  went  on  at  a  great  pace 
through  Regent  Street  across  Piccadilly,  and  so 
reached  Whitehall. 

Westerham  had  decided  that,  apart  from  the 
necessity  of  giving  Lord  Penshurst  the  good  news, 
it  would  be  better  to  take  the  Premier  with  them 
to  the  farm  in  Kent  at  which  Westerham  had 
learned  Kathleen  was  imprisoned. 

It  was  close  on  midnight  when  Lowther  brought 
the  car  to  a  standstill  in  Downing  Street.  Mendip, 
who  had  abandoned  his  obviously  futile  watching 
in  Queen  Victoria  Street,  had  returned  some  time 
before,  and  now  rushed  out  to  meet  them. 

"  He's  inside,"  said  Lowther,  jerking  his  head 
back,  and  Mendip  thrust  his  head  through  the  win- 
dow peering  into  the  gloom  in  search  of  Wester- 
ham. 

**It   is   all   right,"    said   Westerham,    quietly. 

9Si 


836  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

"  Don't  rouse  anybody,  but  get  Lord  Penshurst  out 
here  at  once.  I  have  got  a  man  in  here  with  me 
and  my  hands  are  full." 

He  gave  Patmore's  back  a  by  no  means  tender 
squeeze  as  a  further  indication  that  he  had  no  in- 
tention of  relinquishing  his  grip. 

Mendip  ran  inside,  and  finding  the  Premier, 
brought  him  to  the  car. 

"  Well,"  he  said  eagerly,  "  have  you  news  at 
last?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  Westerham.  "  I  have  discov- 
ered Lady  Kathleen's  whereabouts,  and  I  think  we 
shall  be  just  in  time.  But  we  must  start  at  once, 
and  you  had  better  come  with  us.  Mendip,  get 
Lord  Penshurst  a  hat." 

They  were  off  again  in  a  few  minutes,  Mendip 
riding  beside  Lowther,  and  the  Premier  beside  Wes- 
terham in  the  body  of  the  car. 

He  inquired  eagerly  as  to  the  man  whom  Wes- 
terham still  held  between  his  knees,  and  Wester- 
ham, to  Patmore's  shame,  briefly  outlined  what 
had  passed  since  he  had  kept  the  appointment  at 
St.  Paul's. 

There  were  some  things  which  he  did  not  tell  the 
Premier,  and  Patmore,  wincing  under  yet  another 
squeeze  from  Westerham's  ruthless  fingers,  held 
his  peace. 

The  man  had  given  them  fairly  accurate  direc- 
tions as  to  the  road  which  they  must  take,  and 
Lowther  made  good  speed  through  New  Cross  and 
so  to  Bromley.  They  kept  on  down  the  main  road 
till  they  passed  Farnborough,  where,  in  accord- 
ance with  Patmore's  instructions,  he  branched  off 
to  the  left,  and  leaving  Cudham  behind  them,  he 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  837 

swept  down  the  hill  to  Westerham,  the  place  from 
which  Sir  Paul  took  his  name. 

They  were  now,  indeed,  travelling  along  the  same 
route  which  Melun  had  taken  when  he  had  kid- 
napped Lady  Kathleen  in  Richmond  Park. 

As  they  ran  through  Sevenoaks  Westerham  low- 
ered the  windows  and  made  Patmore  kneel  on  the 
front  of  the  seat,  so  that  he  could  the  better  point 
out  the  way  to  Lowther. 

Lowther  knew  the  district  fairly  well,  and 
whistled  to  himself  as  Patmore  directed  him  to  turn 
up  to  the  right  before  they  reached  Hildenborough. 

The  car  was  now  heading  for  Edenbridge,  and 
he  knew  they  were  racing  along  the  foot  of  that 
great  range  of  hills,  the  southern  slopes  of  which 
are  almost  as  precipitous  and  desolate  as  the  moors 
of  Devon. 

Before  long. Patmore  directed  Lowther  to  turn 
to  the  right  again,  and  he  had  to  put  the  car  on  to 
her  second  and  then  on  to  her  third  speed  as  the  hill 
rose  up  almost  sheer  before  them. 

"How  much  further  is  it?"  he  asked  over  his 
shoulder  as  the  engines  of  the  motor  complained 
bitterly  at  the  ascent. 

"  About  another  half-mile.  Then  you  get  on  to 
a  sort  of  plateau.    There  you  must  turn  to  the  left." 

"  How  far  will  the  turning  be  from  the  house?  " 
asked  Westerham. 

"I'm  not  sure,"  replied  Patmore,  "but  I  should 
think  about  five  hundred  yards.  You  will  have  to 
drive  through  what  is  practically  a  bridle-path  and 
take  it  gently.  It  is  an  awkward  place  on  a  dark 
night." 

The  man  was  in  considerable  pain  as  the  result 


838  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

of  the  treatment  he  had  met  with  at  Finchley,  and 
now  and  again  he  groaned  so  pitifully  that  at  last 
Westerham  let  him  slide  down  from  the  seat  on  to 
the  floor  of  the  car  again. 

Lord  Penshurst  asked  what  ailed  him.  And  Pat- 
more  would  have  spoken  had  not  Westerham  dug 
his  fingers  into  his  ribs.  Patmore  knew  well  enough 
what  that  dig  in  his  ribs  meant,  and  wisely  kept 
silent. 

As  the  car  groaned  and  snorted  her  way  up  the 
hill  Westerham  took  counsel  with  himself.  He  was 
doubtful  as  to  the  wisdom  of  running  up  to  the 
door,  lest  the  noise  of  the  car's  approach  should 
give  Melun  and  the  other  inmates  of  the  farm 
warning  of  their  approach.  He  reflected,  however, 
that  the  warning  would  be  very  slight,  and  that,  for 
all  he  could  tell,  every  moment  might  count.  So 
he  held  on,  and  as  they  turned  into  the  bridle-path 
he  urged  Lowther  to  use  all  the  speed  he  dared. 

It  was  intensely  dark  beneath  the  trees,  and  Wes- 
terham sitting  in  the  blackness  of  the  body  of  the 
car,  could  hear  light  boughs  and  sometimes  heavy 
branches  scrape  along  the  sides. 

Suddenly  the  car  stopped  and,  looking  out  of  the 
window,  Westerham,  whose  eyes  were  used  to  the 
darkest  night,  could  discern  that  they  were  in  a 
little  clearing. 

He  jumped  out  and,  turning  round,  he  took  out 
a  spare  revolver  which  he  had  brought  with  him 
and  placed  it  in  Lord  Penshurst's  hand. 

"  Lord  Penshurst,"  Westerham  said,  "  it  Is  neces- 
sary for  someone  to  keep  an  eye  on  this  man.  I 
have  no  idea  how  many  of  Melun's  gang  may  be 
waiting  for  us.    I  am  told  probably  not  more  than 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  339 

two;  but  one  cannot  take  anything  of  that  sort  on 
trust,  and  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  risks  I  shall 
want  Mendip  and  Lowther  with  me." 

The  Premier,  whom  the  drive  and  the  near  ap- 
proach of  danger  had  rendered  alert  and  almost 
cheerful,  nodded  at  Westerham  in  the  darkness. 

"All  right,"  he  said,  and  his  gnarled  but  still 
sinewy  hand  took  a  firm  grip  on  Patmore's  collar. 

"  You  had  better  sit  still,"  he  said,  and  Patmore 
cringed  at  the  Premier's  knees.  His  spirit  was  en- 
tirely broken  by  the  agony  he  was  now  enduring. 

The  ray  from  one  of  the  lamps  outlined  the  shape 
of  a  gate. 

"  Here  we  are,"  cried  Westerham  in  a  low  voice, 
and  in  a  second  he  had  jumped  forward  and  pulled 
the  iron  catch  back  and  taken  a  stride  forward. 
But  his  eager  foot  found  no  foothold.  His  hand 
was  torn  from  its  grasp  of  the  gate,  and  he  pitched 
forward,  to  find  himself  plunged  up  to  the  neck  in 
icy  water. 

So  great  was  the  shock  that  he  cried  out  a  little 
as  he  spluttered  and  blew  the  water  from  his  mouth. 
A  couple  of  strokes  brought  him  back  to  the  gate 
again,  and  as  he  clutched  it  he  looked  up  at  the 
silent  house. 

Even  as  he  did  so  he  caught  a  little  spit  of  flame 
from  one  of  the  windows  and  a  bullet  splashed  into 
the  water  beside  his  head.  There  was  another  spit 
of  flame,  and  he  felt  his  knuckles  tingle  as  though 
they  had  been  rapped  with  a  red-hot  iron. 

Then  Mendip  gripped  him  by  the  collar,  and  with 
his  aid  he  scrambled  up  on  to  the  path. 

Lowther,  who  had  been  quick  to  see  the  necessity 

of  instant  action,  was  hy  this  time  firing  back  at 


340  THE     CRIME     CLUB 

the  place  from  which  the  Httle  spits  of  flame  had 
come  far  above  them.  In  the  darkness  he  answered 
shot  for  shot. 

After  the  sound  of  the  shots  came  a  complete 
silence,  and  Westerham,  as  he  stood  stock-still  be- 
side the  gate,  which  was  now  swinging  idly  over 
the  pond,  could  hear  the  patter  of  the  water  on  the 
path  as  it  dripped  from  his  clothes. 

Mendip,  as  soon  as  he  had  seen  that  Westerham 
was  safe,  had  run  along  the  hedge,  and  now  he  gave 
a  shout. 

"  This  is  the  gate  we  want,"  he  cried. 

But  a  third  spit  of  flame  came  from  the  darkness 
overhead,  and  Westerham  heard  Mendip  swearing 
softly  under  his  breath.  Whoever  their  unknown 
assailant  might  be,  he  was  no  mean  marksman. 

Westerham  and  Lowther  ran  to  Mendip's  aid. 

"What's  up?"  asked  Westerham. 

"Nothing,"  answered  Mendip,  and  he  got  the 
gate  opened.  The  three  men  dashed  up  the  path 
and  reached  the  door  of  the  farmhouse;  but  it  was 
made  of  stout  oak,  and  securely  fastened  within. 

They  thrust  their  shoulders  against  it  without 
avail,  and  then  stood  looking  at  one  another,  pant- 
ing, and  for  the  moment  baffled. 

It  was  then  that  Westerham's  quick  ear  caught 
a  woman's  voice.  He  whipped  round  and  looked 
across  the  sheet  of  water.  His  eyes  were  now  well 
accustomed  to  the  gloom,  and  he  saw  the  form  of 
a  woman  leaning  far  out  of  a  window  and  gesticu- 
lating wildly. 

He  held  up  his  hand  to  the  others  for  silence,  and 
then  once  more  came  a  voice  which  he  instantly 
recognised.    It  was  the  Ypice  pf  Mme.  Estelle. 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  341 

"Be  quick!  Be  quick!"  she  cried.  "If  you 
don't  wish  to  be  too  late,  you  must  swim  the  pond, 
the  door  is  barred." 

Westerham  cast  a  quick  glance  behind  him,  and 
his  eyes  fell  on  the  gate. 

"Use  that  as  a  battering  ram,"  he  ordered,  and 
then  his  jaws  closed  over  the  butt  of  his  revolver. 

Without  hesitation  he  waded  in,  and  a  few 
strong  strokes  brought  him  beneath  the  window  out 
of  which  Mme.  Estelle  leant  and  waved. 

He  knew  instinctively  by  her  accents  that  she 
was  terrified  beyond  measure  and  that  he  need  not 
expect  treachery  from  her. 

With  one  hand  he  clutched  the  sill,  with  the  other 
he  reached  up  and  shifting  the  safety-cap  on  with 
his  thumb,  let  his  revolver  fall  into  the  room. 

Soaked  as  he  was  with  water,  it  was  not  an  easy 
task  to  hoist  himself  up  and  clamber  through  the 
window,  and  when  at  last  he  stood  within  the  room 
he  leant  against  the  wall  partially  exhausted  and 
breathing  hard. 

Mme.  Estelle  stood  before  him  wringing  her 
hands. 

"Be  quick!"  she  said  again.  "Be  quick!  be 
quick!  or  you  will  be  too  late.  That  fiend  Melun 
is  at  his  work." 

By  the  light  of  the  candles  which  flickered  on  the 
mantelpiece  Westerham  made  his  way  to  the  door. 

Seizing  the  handle,  he  turned  it,  but  the  lock  held 
fast.  He  examined  it  swiftly,  and  to  his  joy  saw 
that  it  opened  outwards.  He  drew  back  a  yard, 
and  then  sent  the  whole  of  his  great  weight  crash- 
ing against  the  panels.  And  with  good  fortune  the 
door  of  the  room,  although  stoutly  built,  was  par- 


THE     CRIME     CLUB 

tially  rotten.  It  burst  wide  open  before  his  weight 
and  sent  him  sprawling  on  to  his  face  in  the  pas- 
sage. 

As  he  lay  there  half-stunned  his  pulses  throbbed 
again  as  the  noise  which  came  from  the  main  en- 
trance told  him  that  Lowther  and  Mendip  were 
making  good  use  of  the  gate. 

He  dragged  himself  up  to  his  knees,  still  clutch- 
ing his  revolver,  and  at  the  same  moment  the  outer 
door  gave  up  its  resistance,  and  Lowther  and  Men- 
dip  came  headlong  into  the  hall-way. 

He  heard  them  give  a  warning  shout  as  he 
struggled  to  his  feet,  steadying  himself  by  the  pil- 
lars of  the  banisters. 

Looking  up  the  stairs,  he  saw  the  brutal  face  of 
Crow  on  the  landing,  his  strong,  yellow  teeth  bared 
in  a  vicious  snarl. 

Westerham  heard  the  sound  of  a  shot,  and  at  the 
same  time  felt  the  hands  of  Mme.  Estelle  give  him 
a  push. 

Her  intention  was  unselfish,  almost  heroic;  she 
saved  Westerham's  life,  but  lost  her  own. 

She  pitched  forward  with  a  little  gasping  sigh 
and  lay  still,  huddled  on  the  stairs.  Westerham 
heard  a  second  shot  rap  out  from  behind  his  back, 
and  saw  Crow  stagger  on  the  landing.  The 
man  reeled  for  a  couple  of  paces  and  then  fell 
heavily. 

Westerham  had  by  this  time  fully  got  back  his 
senses  and  his  breath;  and  now  he  heard  coming 
from  somewhere  high  above  him  scream  after 
scream  of  dreadful  terror. 

He  plunged  up  the  staircase,  and  stepping  across 
the  body  of  Crow  a$  it  lay  on  the  landing,  raced  up 


THE     CRIME     CLUB  343 

the  second  flight  of  stairs.  For  a  moment  he 
paused,  in  order  to  make  doubly  sure  whence  the 
dreadful  screaming  came. 

Then  he  had  no  doubt,  and  dashed  on,  up  to  the 
third  flight,  till  he  came  to  the  topmost  landing. 

Here  he  was  confronted  by  a  door,  and  he 
groaned  within  himself.  He  was  living  in  some 
awful  nightmare  at  which  a  door  faced  him  at  ev- 
ery turn. 

He  emptied  his  revolver  in  the  lock  and  hurled 
himself  in  frenzy  against  this  further  obstruction; 
it  gave  way,  and  he  tottered  into  the  room,  the 
lights  of  which  for  a  moment  dazzled  him. 

His  half-blinded  eyes  were  greeted  by  the  sight 
which  he  had  dreaded  ever  since  he  had  come  to 
the  farm  on  the  hill. 

Kathleen  was  fighting  desperately,  and  for  life, 
^vith  Melun. 

With  a  great  cry  Westerham  leapt  forward,  but 
he  was  too  late  to  exercise  that  vengeance  which 
had  now  full  possession  of  his  soul. 

Melun  flung  Kathleen  to  one  side,  and  for  a  sec- 
ond turned  his  pallid  face,  in  which  his  eyes  were 
burning  like  a  madman's,  full  on  Westerham  as 
he  dashed  on  him. 

Then  without  a  sound  he  leapt  aside,  and  vault- 
ing on  to  the  sill  of  the  open  window,  jumped  out. 

Instinctively  Westerham  knew  what  was  coming, 
and  catching  Kathleen  to  him,  held  her  head  against 
his  breast,  stopping  her  ears  with  his  hands.  As 
his  palms  closed  upon  them  his  heart  grew  sick  as 
he  remembered  the  dreadful  thing  which  had  come 
to  Downing  Street  earlier  in  the  day. 

But  to  his  unutterable  joy — joy  which  was  almost 


U4i  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

a  shock — his  hands  told  him  that  Melun's  hideous 
warning  had  been  but  a  brutal  hoax, 

Kathleen  was  never  told  of  it. 

Then  as  he  stood  there  with  his  eyes  bent  on  her 
hair,  he  heard  the  sickening  sound  of  Melun's  body 
thud  on  to  the  stones  below. 

Releasing  Kathleen's  ears,  he  put  his  hand  under 
her  chin  and  lifted  up  her  face.  He  marvelled  that 
she  had  not  fainted,  but  the  dreadful  horror  in  her 
eyes  struck  into  his  heart  like  a  blow. 

He  had  to  hold  her  to  prevent  her  falling  to  the 
floor,  and  so  he  stood  for  some  few  seconds  with 
Kathleen  limp  and  shivering  in  his  arms. 

Bracing  himself  for  one  last  effort,  Westerham 
lifted  Kathleen  up  and  bore  her  out  of  the  room. 
Half-dazed,  he  stumbled  down  the  stairs  with  her 
until  he  reached  the  hall. 

In  the  doorway  he  saw  Lord  Penshurst,  still 
clinging  grimly  to  Patmore's  collar,  but  at  the  sight 
of  Kathleen  the  Premier  released  his  hold  and 
came  running  forward  with  outstretched  arms. 

"Just  a  minute,"  said  Westerham,  quickly,  and 
he  walked  into  the  room,  the  door  of  which  he  had 
shattered. 

In  the  meantime  Mendip  and  Lowther  had  picked 
up  Mme.  Estelle  and  carried  her  into  the  same 
room,  and  now  she  lay  on  the  couch,  her  face  grow- 
ing grey  with  the  shadows  of  death,  and  her  breath 
coming  fast  and  feebly.  Her  eyes  stared  up  at  the 
ceiling  with  an  intense  and  horrible  fixity. 

Westerham  pushed  an  armchair  round  with  his 
foot  and  set  Kathleen  down  on  it  so  that  her  back 
was  turned  to  the  dying  woman. 

Lord  Penshurst  fell  on  his  knees  beside  the  chair, 


THE    CRIME    CLtrB  S45 

and  seizing  his  daughter's  hands,  held  them  against 
his  breast,  and  for  a  Httle  while  wept  quietly. 

Westerham  crossed  over  to  Mme.  Estelle  and 
stood  over  her.  He  put  his  hand  against  her  heart 
and  listened  to  her  breathing. 

"  I  am  afraid,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice  to  Mendip, 
"  that  we  can  do  nothing  for  her.  It  is  a  bad 
business.  Heaven  forgive  her  for  anything 
she  has  done  amiss!  She  did  her  best  to  make 
amends." 

Then  he  drew  Lowther  out  of  the  room  and  told 
him  to  fetch  a  lamp  from  the  car.  Patmore  was 
sitting  on  the  stairs  with  his  face  hidden  in  his 
hands. 

"  Never  mind  him,"  said  Westerham,  as  Low- 
ther gave  the  man  a  glance,  "  we  shall  have  no 
more  trouble  from  that  quarter." 

When  Lowther  had  fetched  the  lamp  Wester- 
ham took  it  and  began  rapidly  to  examine  round 
the  ground  floor  of  the  rambling  building.  He  was 
seeking  for  the  courtyard  into  which  Melun  had 
fallen. 

At  last  they  found  it,  and  found,  too,  all  that  re- 
mained of  Melun.  He  was  battered  and  crushed 
and  bruised  almost  beyond  recognition. 

Westerham  set  his  face  and  straightened  the 
twisted  and  distorted  body  out.  Then  began  the 
grim  task  of  searching  the  dead  man's  clothes.  He 
turned  out  every  pocket,  and  with  a  knife  ripped 
open  every  lining.  But  the  papers  which  he  sought 
were  not  there. 

He  straightened  himself,  and  picking  up  the  lamp 
led  the  way  back  into  the  house. 

By  this  time  Kathleen,  though  very  pale  and  still 


346  THE    CRIME    CLUB 

shaken,  was  quite  composed.  Indeed,  she  was  now 
more  self-possessed  than  the  Premier.  She  was 
doing  her  utmost  to  quiet  his  still  painful  agitation. 

Westerham  looked  into  Kathleen's  face,  and  see- 
ing how  strong  and  resolute  it  was,  felt  no  hesita- 
tion in  speaking  before  her. 

"  Lord  Penshurst,"  he  said,  very  quietly,  "  Melun 
is  dead." 

The  Premier  glanced  at  him  quickly  and  then 
turned  to  his  daughter. 

"  Thank  heaven !  "  he  cried. 

"  Hush,"  said  Kathleen,  gently,  and  taking  her 
father  by  the  arm  she  pointed  to  Mme.  Estelle. 

Mendip  had  done  what  he  could,  and  the  unhappy 
woman  had,  to  some  extent,  come  back  to  con- 
sciousness. 

She  was  indeed  sufficiently  alive  to  catch  Wes- 
terham's  words.  She  brought  her  fast  fading  eyes 
down  from  the  ceiling  and  searched  Westerham's 
face. 

"  Melun !  "  she  muttered  to  herself :     "  Melun !  " 

Westerham  drew  near  and  knelt  down  by  the 
couch.  He  took  one  of  her  hands,  which  was  even 
then  growing  cold. 

"Melun?"  she  asked  again  in  a  voice  scarcely 
above  a  whisper. 

Westerham  put  his  mouth  down  to  her  ear  and 
said  slowly,  "  He  is  dead." 

The  shock  of  the  news  acted  on  the  woman  in  a 
most  extraordinary  way.  With  a  convulsive  move- 
ment she  suddenly  gathered  herself  together  and 
sat  bolt  upright  on  the  couch.  She  would  have 
fallen  back  again  had  not  Westerham  caught  her 
in  his  arms. 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  34t) 

"  The  papers !  "  she  gasped. 

"  Yes  ?  "  said  Westerham,  kindly  and  soothingly. 
"  Where  are  they  ?  " 

With  a  faint  movement  she  pointed  towards 
Westerham's  feet.    **  There ! "  she  gasped. 

To  Westerham  it  seemed  as  if  she  were  already 
beginning  to  wander  in  her  mind,  but  he  said  still 
kindly  and  soothingly,  "Yes,  yes,  I  know!  But 
where?" 

The  woman  opened  her  mouth  and  made  two  or 
three  efforts  before  she  spoke  again,  and  then  she 
only  breathed  the  word  "  Boots ! " 

Westerham's  gaze  wandered  over  the  sideboard. 

"See  if  you  can  find  any  brandy,"  he  said  to 
Mendip. 

Mendip  could  find  no  brandy,  but  brought  some 
almost  neat  whisky  over  in  a  glass. 

Westerham  took  the  glass  from  Mendip's  hand 
and  pressed  it  to  Mme.  Estelle's  lips.  She  revived 
a  little,  and  suddenly  spoke  clearly  and  in  almost 
her  normal  voice. 

"  Sir  Paul,"  she  said,  "  the  papers  are  in  your 
boots!" 

For  a  moment  Westerham  stared  into  the  dying 
woman's  face,  under  the  impression  that  her  reason 
had  departed  from  her.  But  with  a  start  he  re- 
membered how  he  had  awoke  in  St.  John's  Wood, 
after  being  drugged,  to  find  himself  dressed  in 
strange  clothes  and  in  new  footgear.  And  for  the 
first  time  the  real  significance  of  the  removal  of  all 
his  apparel  from  his  rooms  in  Bruton  Street  struck 
him  with  full  force.  He  remembered,  too,  that 
from  the  night  he  had  left  Mme.  Estelle,  Melun,  by 
one  swift  action  after  another,  had  kept  him  con- 


848  THE     CRIME    CLUB 

stantly  on  the  move,  so  that  It  had  been  impossible 
for  him  so  much  as  to  order  fresh  clothes. 

To  the  astonishment  of  Lord  Penshurst  and 
Kathleen,  and  to  the  wonderment  of  Lowther  and 
Mendip,  Westerham  propped  Mme.  Estelle  up 
against  the  pillows  and  began  rapidly  to  remove  his 
boots. 

Comfortable  though  they  had  been,  it  had  always 
struck  him  that  they  were  unnaturally  deep  be- 
tween the  outer  and  the  inner  sole.  The  meaning 
of  that  came  clearly  home  to  him  now. 

No  sooner  had  he  pulled  off  his  boots  than  he 
took  a  knife  and  began  to  rip  feverishly  at  the 
heels.  He  succeeded  in  detaching  them,  and  was 
then  able  easily  to  rip  open  the  soles. 

He  was  now  fully  prepared  for  any  turn  of 
events,  but  he  could  not  repress  an  exclamation,  as 
in  tearing  away  the  upper  layers  of  leather,  his  eyes 
fell  on  a  dozen  neatly-folded  sheets  of  tissue 
paper. 

He  drew  them  out,  and  with  a  cry  Lord  Pens- 
hurst snatched  them  from  his  hand. 

Westerham  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  Premier  had 
regained  the  papers  he  had  lost — the  papers  which 
had  jeopardised,  not  only  the  peace  of  nations,  but 
his  own  and  his  daughter's  honour. 

Westerham  seized  the  other  boot,  but  Mme.  Es- 
telle shook  her  head.  "Look  afterwards,"  she 
gasped,  "not  now." 

Westerham  held  the  whisky  to  her  lips  again, 
and  again  she  rallied  slightly, 

"The  papers,"  she  said  faintly,  "were  deposited 
at  the  poste-restante,  St.  Martin's-le-Grand,  in  my 
name.     But  Melun  really  thought  you  had  discov- 


THE    CRIME    CLUB  849 

€red  where  they  were  and  took  them  away.  There 
was  not  a  single  place  in  which  we  could  hope  to 
hide  them  safely.  It  was  I  who  thought  of  your 
boots, 

"I  did  it,"  she  said,  with  a  wan  little  smile  at 
Westerham,  "  partly  to  save  you.  I  knew  that  so 
long  as  you  were  safe  the  papers  were  safe. 

"  Melun  was  so  certain  that  he  would  win,"  she 
went  on  wearily,  "  I  don't  think  he  really  thought 
of  doing  you  any  injury.  It  struck  him  that  it 
would  be  an  immense  joke  after  he  had  got  his  way 
to  tell  Lord  Penshurst  that  the  man  who  was  try- 
ing to  find  the  papers  had  them  in  his  possession 
all  the  time.    I  think  sometimes  he  was  mad." 

Madame  paused,  and  her  eyes  contrp'^ted  as 
though  with  pain, 

**  Forgive !  "  she  gasped.  Then  her  eyes  became 
fixed  and  staring. 

It  was  Westerham  who  drew  the  dead  woman's 
eyelids  down. 

It  was  long  past  dawn  when  they  reached  Down- 
ing Street,  and  Lord  Penshurst  at  once  sent  in  ci- 
pher a  short  message  to  the  Czar,  informing  his 
Majesty  of  the  recovery  of  the  papers. 

Afterwards,  in  the  Premier's  own  room,  Wester- 
ham sat  for  a  short  while  with  Kathleen  and  Lord 
Penshurst.  But  little  was  said,  for,  just  as  some 
sorrows  are  too  deep  for  tears,  so  there  is  some 
gratitude  beyond  thanks. 

"  Westerham,"  said  the  Premier,  earnestly,  "  it 
is  simply  impossible  that  I  shall  ever  be  able  to  re- 
pay you  the  great  service  you  have  rendered  me. 
But,  believe  me,  if  there  is  anything  in  the  world 


SSa  THE    CRIMll    tLUB 

it  is  within  my  power  to  give  you,  you  havd  iDut  to 
ask  to  receive  it." 

Westerham  looked  across  at  Kathleen,  but  said 
nothing.  The  time  had  not  yet  come  when  he  could 
ask  Lord  Penshurst  for  that  which  would  a  thou- 
sand times  repay  him. 


THE  END 


A    000  133  283     2 


